KACAK5 Management

Marketing made simple

2010-06-06T20:37:00.002+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-Kacak5 Management

SV sees a gorgeous girl at a party.
He goes up to her and says: "I am very rich. Marry me!"
That's Direct Marketing.

Mz sees a gorgeous girl at a party.
One of his loyal friends goes up to her and pointing at Mz and says: "He's very rich. Marry him!"That's Advertising.

K.T. sees a gorgeous girl at a party.
He goes up to her and gets her telephone number.
The next day, he calls and says: "Hi, I'm very rich. Marry me!
"That's Telemarketing.

K is at a party and sees a gorgeous girl.
He gets up and straightens his tie, walks up to her and pours her a drink, he opens the door (of the car) for her, picks up her bag aftershe drops it, offers her ride and then says:"By the way, I'm rich.
Will you Marry Me?
"That's Public Relations.

RBee is at a party and sees a gorgeous girl. The girl walks up to him and says:"You are very rich!
Can you marry me?
"That's Brand Recognition.

SH sees a gorgeous girl at a party.
He goes up to her and says: "I am very rich. Marry me!
"She gives SH a tight and hard slap on his face. That's Program Management Feedback received.

Not satisfied, SH goes to see another gorgeous girl at a party.
He goes up to her and says: "I am very rich.
Marry me!
"And she introduces Hamid, her husband.
That's Demand and Supply gap.

A sees a gorgeous girl at a party.
He goes up to her and before he can say anything,another person comes and tells her: "I'm rich. Will you marry me?"
And she goes with him.
That's competition eating into your market share.

And finally N sees a gorgeous girl at a party.
He goes up to her and before he can say: "I'm rich, Marry me!" R arrives.
That's restriction for entering new market. R leaves.
N tells the gorgeous girl, "No need to marry. Let's just have a good time to produce."
That's sampling.
Have a nice day!

Program Watch dog?

2010-05-16T11:29:00.005+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-Kacak5 Management

It is said that the Program Management is a watch dog of a company's business. We looked after the business, sales and welfare of a company's business well being. In my over 20 years in this occupation, I had met various kinds of watch dogs by the way they manage their activities.

Barking Dog
This Program Manager literally barks to let the whole world knows an intruder (a problem) is in the vicinity but does nothing much in solving the problem. Yes, he may let the owner (boss) knows he is working something and by sheer default, the intruder (problem) walks away. So the boss thinks he is a very good worker, up on his feet to solve the problem that occur again and again. Other dogs might be the real problem solver, but barking dog skillfully saps the credit. The boss often fixes the problem for barking dogs. Barking dog attracted the attention from the owner, neighbor, bosses, everybody like he is working super real hard fixing many problems (intruders). After making his presence known, he enjoys big bonus, rated an “A” employee and was even promoted!

Sleeping Dog.
Have you heard of a proverb "still water runs deep", well this dog do look like he is sleeping, so the owner thought he is not working. When he bites, he bites real badly such that the intruder (the problem" does not come again. It's a permanent fix.......so it looks like he is not working. He spend lots of time in the cafeteria actually discussing & fixing problems but looks like he is doing nothing but eating and drinking.

Growling Dog.
An unhappy growling Program Manager that seems to have a heavy burden that keeps piling -up. He does not know how to solve problem fast, complains everything and plays with the problem. He could be perceived as a hardworking manager working late unhappily trying to solve problems that never ends. The owner (boss) thinks he is overloaded due to the nature of the business he manages.

Stealth Dog.
Like the Stealth Aircraft, this Program Manager fly below management radar and does not seems to have any workload, worries or problem to solve. It is strange but it does exist. We would be wondering how he manages the Program. Secretly, he works fast, fix problems permanently real quick and accurate. He does not have back-log and is always a head of the pack with almost no outstanding issues. To the boss, this dog is lucky to get a very easy customer and boss does not know what stealth dog is doing. Try swapping Stealth dog's customer S with the barking dog's customer B and the same work method is seen. The barking dog still barks loud & like crazy when he manages the swapped customer S that was initially smooth sailing by Stealth dog.

Tai Chi Dog.
Yes, we do have Tai Chi Dog who is verbally advance in communication such that he is able to blame anybody for whatever problems that occur (often the other party just gave-up arguing). Even a Program Management owned responsibility if he fails to perform well will always have some solid case due to other party and that cause him to fail. He uses MANAGEMENT = getting work done thru' others.

Scrape Dog (the Fall Guy)
During my younger days, a Taiwan CEO frequently does decision errors such that somebody must take the bullet. A job vacancy was created in Program Management for this "victim". He was paid a full salary; CEO will explain the problem to him before the show. He called the whole department and sometimes evens the customer. The whole acting of scolding and reprimanding the "victim" takes place. We do know this "victim" was not the originator. Strangely, this scrape dog gets no warning letter, enjoys big bonus and was even promoted!

What kind of dog are you?

Program Navigational Tips

2010-01-28T08:18:00.003+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-

Success does not consist in never making blunders, but in never making the same one a second time.

Be agile and sure-footed. It's really all about self-confidence. Overcome your fear of heights; you just might succeed beyond your wildest expectations!

Be resourceful and expect some occasional rain. Don't let wet weather dampen your spirits. The sun will soon shine again.

Smile, grin and laugh a lot. Doing so alters your biochemical balance and enhances your physical and mental health.
Kacak5 Management

Give Credit when it's due

2010-01-22T21:15:00.003+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
"Feedback is the breakfast of champions." To perform well, we need feedback to ensure we are on the right track of progress regardless it's positive or negative.

Frequent communication---- not the yearly appraisal -----is the answer to managing a staff performance in your Program Team.
The brutal truth is everybody (or at least 80%) honestly believe they did their best and their performance to be in the top quartile!

- Constant communication and feedback about performance and praise good work to ensure goals are clear and expectation understood

- Performance management is everyday.

- Provide positive and constructive feedback to be specific and reinforcing your requirement. Never negative and critical.

- 2 way performance review and encourage staff to do most of the talking if possible.

- encourage a policy of "No Surprises". Any performance problems should be honestly dealt with immediately

- Build good relationship by delivering what you say you could. Trust is earned.

- Analyse problem, not personality, so keep them separate. You will hate some and like some people.

- Judge on the overall performance, not on some specific incidences.

- Be prepared with facts to resolve.

-Start with his strengths, encourage where deserved and move gradually to the problem area.

- Follow-up what you wanted.

Kacak5 Management

7 wonders of the world

2010-01-19T10:35:00.000+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.

Junior high school students in Chicago were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal in India
3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona
4. The Panama Canal
5. The Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch...
2. to taste...
3. to see...
4. to hear... (She hesitated a little, and then added...)
5. to feel...
6. to laugh...
7. and to love.

The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.

May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful - and we don't have to travel anywhere special to experience them.

Enjoy your gifts!

Kacak5 Management

10 tips to successful Program Management

2010-01-08T11:36:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Never takes short-cuts and assume things will resolve by itself.

To arrive at an answer, we only have to look at the most common mistakes a Program Manager (PM) can make.

1. PM don’t have the necessary expertise to execute on a specialized technology Program. The PM, especially in technology where there are so many moving parts, MUST have experience in a similar if not exact Program as the one he has been assigned. Without that experience the Program teams, and the stakeholders, will be led astray throughout the course of the Program, which will lead to turmoil within the Program team. Scope creep, that is uncontrolled changes in the scope of the Program, will result.

2. Communication is more then a weekly teleconference. PM have a tendency to rely on weekly teleconference calls to communicate the progress and discuss the hurdles the Program is currently facing. Unfortunately, often members of the team who are facing hurdles may have lost direction on their assigned tasks between conference calls. They may even not be aligned with the general thrust of where the Program is supposed to be headed. It is imperative that communication be constant, open, and honest.

3. You are the commander! Two futures face up as PM: you will either become the hero, or the captain who went down with his ship. You must have the necessary experience to ascertain any and all challenges your Program team can possibly face; that experience, coupled with constant communication, will inspire your team to follow you through thick and thin. However, if you dictate direction rather then to rely on your team’s expertise, you are doomed.

4. Openly Managers your client’s expectations. You will fail is you assume everyone is on the same page. This can happen due to a lack of communication or just simply because you believe everyone is managing their tasks as expected. Even your clients (the stakeholders) need to understand the process and which phase you are in within the Program. Even better, it is important that the stakeholders understand and agree to each part of the Program before it begins. This can become complicated if there are two PM (one client and one vendor) managing the Program, each from their different perspectives. Both PM need to be in agreement not only with all phases of the Program, but must sign off on a complete task plan.

5. You must be a leader! You must influence each Program member to ensure that he or she completes their task on time. You must also extend your leadership capabilities to the stakeholders as well: They need to feel confident of your confidence to successfully complete the Program. There is no room for indecision: Do your homework. Find out where the risks within your Program team are what the day-to-day risks to your Program lie. Without leadership skills, you will not be able to overcome any challenges facing your Program. A classic warning sign that you lack of leadership is directing blame at team members usually without cause.

6. Vendor certification is not a guarantee that you or your Program will succeed. Certification does show competency in the understanding of the methodology of Program Management, but relying on that solely is a no-no.

7. No input from stakeholders and/or Program team. Rely on the knowledge inherent within your team. Constantly circle back to them throughout all phases of the Program to ensure they are involved, and therefore automatically engaged.

8. Lack of the required documentation. I have seen my share of Programs where even the Program charter hasn’t even been signed off by the stakeholders before Program initiation. Make sure all documentation is in-line with your Program Management methodology of choice to ensure your Program team is covered in terms of deliverables, and expectations.

9. Managers Program risks constantly. Risk can occur at anytime within the Program, and your experience in similar Programs will trigger when risk is imminent and when corrective or risk adherence is required. Ensure you stay on top of the game, keep your feelers out there, and understand that even the littlest thing can turn into a big thing if not properly managed.

10. Contingency. Rarely does a Program close on-time and on budget. Plan for contingencies and ensure you have your documentation at the ready so your stakeholders understand what is happening. Be ready to both defend your and your Program team’s performance, and explain why more time, resources, or capital is required.

A best in class PM is hard to come by but I have had the pleasure of working with quite a few in my years in the technology industry. A great PM is not afraid to take one on the chin from time to time, never deflecting blame to a team member. But most of all they lead the team to a successful Program closure.

Being a PM is not easy, but you can make it better for everyone by taking some of these simple tips to ensure tremendous success in the future.

Kacak5 Management

Jokes:- MeN aRe JuST HaPPieR PeoPLe

2010-01-06T11:41:00.000+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Program Mangement are for women who have a sense of humor and who can handle it... and to the men who will enjoy the lighter side of it.

I know some ladies might be throwing rotten tomatoes at me...but with due respect, much as I hate to admit it, it is true that men are just happier because of the way they look at life, themselves and others. Here are some examples...

NICKNAMES
If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah. If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla and Four-eyes.

EATING OUT
When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that shedoesn't need but it's on sale.

BATHROOMS
A man has seven items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, shampoo and a towel. The average number of items in the typicalwoman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS
A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

MONEY
A woman insist, "What is mine is mine only and what is his is also mine!". A man will just give what his wife wants.

SUCCESS
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

MARRIAGE
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

DRESSING UP
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail. A man will dress up for weddings and football.

NATURAL
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed. Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favourite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of what some short people living in the house likes.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!

Kacak5 Management

DON'TS FOR WELL-MEANING FRIENDS

2010-01-04T07:11:00.002+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
From experience, we gain wisdom in later years.

We do know that every successful career person should have some compassionate behaviour such that due to our busy work nature are often not acted out correctly.
Here are my personal observations in the ICU

DON'T
- sit in on the doctor's medical briefings for the family. No doctor would invite an outsider unless the latter is a medical professional who has something vital to contribute.

- prescribe alternative therapies or MLM-type health products for the patient. By doing so, you only confuse the patient's family and put unwanted pressure on them. Let the doctors do the job they have been trained for. They are in the best position to administer the appropriate treatment as they have access to the patient's test results and know the patient's medical condition.

- visit the patient in the ICU, especially if he is under sedation. He won't even know you are there. Besides, you may be exposing him to bacterial infection and you may even be at risk of getting infected! This was a major concern of the doctors. All the more so as visitors to the ICU at this particular hospital for infectious diseases are not required to wear a facial mask. I found this rather shocking.

- pose as family members or medical doctors in order to gain access to the patient or patient's medical records. When the real family members turn up, the busy doctors are understandably reluctant to have to repeat the medical updates all over again.

- post confidential medical details of the patient on social networking sites for all and sundry to read. Only the immediate family has the right to do this, if they choose to.
call up the family at odd hours to inquire about the patient, or worse still, get into an argument about the best course of action to take.

- insult family members by calling them names. This is totally unacceptable and unwarranted. The focus should be on the patient's speedy recovery, not on petty issues blown up by bruised egos.

Kacak5 Management

Sun Tsu's art of delighting customer

2009-12-22T17:54:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
War is like a game of who wins or lose.

A business whose customers start to go elsewhere becomes the paramount concern to take every opportunity to delight both it’s internal & external customers. 5 interesting edicts are as follows.

Strategy 1
“He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning may be called a heaven-born ed captain”.
Learn to modify what you are doing, improving on it & differentiating your product or services so you stand out from the crowd giving your customer something fresh & interesting.

Strategy 2
“There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare”
Quickly identify any grievance and acting swiftly to resolve it effectively. Placate the customer and provide quick recovery.

Strategy 3
“Know thyself- know thy enemy”
Know your strengths & weaknesses enabling improvement on the former & minimize the latter. Assume your customer as the “enemy” you battle to win him over in fulfilling his needs and delighting him too. Customers drive your business and if you are unable to go the extra mile to satisfy their needs and wants, then you will lose the battle for their loyalty.

Strategy 4
“ What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease”.
Master the art & science of customer service to manage all kind of customers- especially the difficult ones. Do not be complacent & takes customers for granted. Be alert to relationship threats.

Strategy 5
“In battle, there are not more than 2 methods of attack- the direct and the indirect; yet these 2 in combination give rise to endless series of manoeuvres.”
Assess the situation to see what is the best course of action, constantly review new initiatives to ensure delighted customers keeps coming back for more. Example of a “direct” method is how we treat our customer during his visit to our plant giving him a very good impression of your company. “Indirect” method could be discounts or frequent update of production progress.

Kacak5 Management

Treat Complaints as Gift Part 3

2009-12-14T15:13:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
In couple courtship, we complaint alot to the other party, being in love & is interested for the other party to improve. If after repeated complaint, it become irreconcilable difference where we starts to go our separate ways hence complaints stops.

Embrace a complaint friendly service culture
This starts from the top, even at CEO's level as "leaders have to provide the direction, the monetary support and the motivational juice to inspire all".

Encouraging a culture where no one gets scolded for receiving a complaint, the leaders must first be supportive and engaged. 5 maxims as follows;
1. Complaints are gifts to us and they are valuable.
2. Complaints are to be resolved at the first point of contact.
3. Complaints are to be logged.
4. Staff take ownership of complaints.
5. Root causes of complaints are to be uncovered and eliminated.

An effective complaint management & resolution framework will be the next differentiators of good service for customer to divert more businesses to you. We will have an edge over our competitors in generating better customer loyalty and, in turn, profitability.

Kacak5 Management

Treat Complaints as Gifts part 2

2009-12-10T19:53:00.002+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Silent means something is wrong somewhere nobody dare to say anything.

Create an effective complaint management framework

Here are some right activity to welcome these feedback gifts for resolution management.
- A simple process for making a complaint;
- Active and empathetic listening by the company's personnel;
- Open communication with the customer;
- Timely and sincere process if the customer is not satisfied; and
- A systemto process the complaint datato aid learning and improvement of the company's service.

Preferably all employees should bve trained to be "receipt owners", that is, they are able to receive and acknowledge any complaint relevant to their work and about the company as a whole.
A resolution to ensure more tha 90% of complaints are resolved to the customer's satisfaction within 3 days.

Kacak5 Management

Positive attitude for Program Managers

2009-12-08T07:52:00.003+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
If you have the will, there is a way.

If you tend to have a negative outlook, don’t expect to become an optimist overnight. But with practice, eventually your self-talk will contain less self-criticism and more self-acceptance. You may also become less critical of the world around you. Plus, when you share your positive mood and positive experience, both you and those around you enjoy an emotional boost.

Practicing positive self-talk will improve your outlook. When your state of mind is generally optimistic, you’re able to handle everyday stress in a more constructive way. That ability may contribute to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking.

Examples of typical negative self-talk and how you might apply a positive twist include:
I’ve never done it before => It’s an opportunity to learn something new
It’s too complicated => I’ll tackle it from a different angle
I don’t have the resources => Necessity is the mother of invention
I’m too lazy to get this done => I wasn’t able to fit it into my schedule but can re-examine some priorities
There’s no way it will work => I can try to make it work
It’s too radical a change => Let’s take a chance
No one bothers to communicate with me => I’ll see if I can open the channels of communication
I’m not going to get any better at this => I’ll give it another try

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health that positive thinking may provide include:

Increased life span
Lower rates of depression
Lower levels of distress
Greater resistance to the common cold
Better psychological and physical well-being
Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
It’s unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body. It’s also thought that positive and optimistic people live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet.

Kacak5 Management

Body languages during meetings

2009-11-24T20:32:00.000+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-

We do attend several meetings in solving our daily working issues and often have a group of people seating together providing various body languages to tell you something while you do your presentation or discussion. They might be afraid to speak out or contradict your messages so these list of body languages information is very helpful. Yes, do remember people from different culture providing same body language might mean a different message sometimes.

Here are 18 gestures, with advice for reading them from a team of experts in nonverbal communication.
It's written on your face...
Furrowing brow
It could mean: She's thinking.
But it might mean: She disapproves of or disagrees with what you're saying. Or else she can't hear you.
What the experts say: "This almost always means something negative," says trial lawyer Maria Katrina Karos. It is often a cue people use to tell you something is wrong, says author Lydia Ramsey: They want you to ask them what they're thinking.

Frowning
It could mean: She's unhappy or uncomfortable.
But it might mean: She's concentrating.
What the experts say: Some people frown without realizing it, so don't comment on the frowning directly, says anthropologist David Givens. If it happens during a job interview, you might ask, "Did that answer the question?" With a friend, just ask if she's OK.

Grimacing
It could mean: Nothing. It's just a tic or a bad habit.
But it might mean: She doesn't like what you're saying.
What the experts say: This is typically a sign of discomfort or displeasure, says Ramsey. But she warns against reading too much into it: "Some people just always have unpleasant expressions on their faces."

Lip biting
It could mean: She's flirting.
But it might mean: She's shy or feels pressured.
What the experts say: Suspects sometimes do this when they're trying to remember an event or concoct a story, says private investigator Steven Tavlin. It's a sign of discomfort. To put the person at ease, avoid direct staring and lower your voice. You might even back up or turn away slightly. "The idea is to take the pressure off”.

And in your eyes...
Rolling eyes
It could mean: She's trying to be funny.
But it might mean: She is frustrated, doesn't like you, or doesn't respect you.
What the experts say: "Eye rolling is one of the nonverbal signs that is pretty much always aggressive," says executive coach Steve Watts. He recommends politely confronting the eye-roller, asking, "Do you disagree?" to get negative feelings out in the open.

Staring
It could mean: She's concentrating on what you're saying, or she's smitten with you.
But it might mean: She's being rude and aggressive.
What the experts say: Eye contact rarely lasts longer than three seconds before one or both people experience a powerful urge to glance away.. If the starer is making you feel uncomfortable, look away briefly to give her the hint.

Avoiding eye contact
It could mean: She's shy.
But it might mean: She's lying or trying to provoke you.
What the experts say: Don't assume the worst based on this clue alone. And be aware of varying cultural interpretations of eye contact, says corporate-communications consultant Audrey Nelson. "We associate eye contact with honesty, but in Japan avoiding eye contact is a sign of respect

And in your hands...
Fidgeting (tugging ears, pulling sleeves, rubbing head)
It could mean: She's just a natural fidgeter.
But it might mean: She's anxious or impatient.
What the experts say: "This is a classic sign of anxiety or stress”. "It's a way people take their attention away from what's bothering them." If you're in a meeting and you notice people are getting fidgety, take a break, says Ramsey.

Resting hands on hips
It could mean: "I'm in charge."
But it might mean: She's angry and trying to intimidate you.
What the experts say: "This is a powerful position”. (Police officers are taught to use it to assert control.) If this is an angry boss, appease her by asking, "Did I do something wrong?" If it's an equal trying to bully you, stand tall and place your feet shoulder-width apart, or put your own hands on your hips. Both gestures say, "I'm not intimidated!"

Fiddling with an object (hair, pencil, car keys, cell phone)
It could mean: Nothing some people just like to fiddle.
But it might mean: "I'm nervous" or "I'm bored."
What the experts say: To figure out what's going on, look for other clues, says Tavlin. Yawning suggests boredom; blinking, nervousness. If the fiddling is distracting you, draw attention to the object, says Watts. Say, "Is that a new cell phone?" Then get back to your discussion.

Pointing
It could mean: "I'm really passionate about this topic."
But it might mean: She's trying to intimidate you.
What the experts say: "Pointing is generally an aggressive sign," says life coach and social worker Carol Moss. It can signal that someone is blaming or attacking you. If you can't let it go, "It's OK to ask someone not to point," says Moss. Make a joke about it: "Hey, nice manicure."

Wringing hands
It could mean: She's cold.
But it might mean: She's worried.
What the experts say: "People who are very uncomfortable with a question, topic, or situation sometimes do this," says Karos. The best thing is to ignore it. If the person is truly nervous, commenting on her nerves will only make her more so.

Excessive touching
It could mean: She's overly friendly.
But it might mean: "I'm more powerful than you."
What the experts say: "People of higher status often feel freer to touch people of lower status," says Tannenbaum. (Of course, it can also be sexual.) "If you're uncomfortable, you don't need to say anything. Just remove the hand." If the touching continues, back up slowly to get out of range..

Tapping fingers on a table
It could mean: She's got energy to burn.
But it might mean: She's nervous or impatient.
What the experts say: If this is really annoying you, look at the person's fingers, then back at her face, says Tannenbaum. "The goal is not to embarrass her but to bring her attention back to where you want it to be."

And in your body
Standing too close
It could mean: She's needy or angry.
But it might mean: She's from a culture where people tend to stand closer.
What the experts say: "This is typically an aggressive gesture," says Professor Whitey Brewer. But different cultures have different rules about space. "North Americans like a distance of two to three feet, while some Europeans want to be closer," says Ramsey. If you're uncomfortable, subtly take a step or two back.

Standing too far away
It could mean: She's afraid.
But it might mean: She's simply more comfortable at this distance.
What the experts say: "This is typically a passive gesture indicating fear," says Brewer. But for cultural and other reasons, people generally choose a distance they're comfortable with. If you need to get closer, do so, says actress Susan Stewart. Just be careful not to crowd your listener.

Slouching
It could mean: She has bad posture.
But it might mean: She's skeptical or disrespectful.
What the experts say: "This is often a way of showing, 'I'm above it all, and I don't care,'" says Tavlin. It can also be a tip off that someone is lying, especially if accompanied by another sign, such as crossed arms or an averted gaze.

Crossing arms
It could mean: She is cold or simply finds this position comfortable.
But it might mean: She's angry or defiant, or feels vulnerable.
What the experts say: With arms and elbows pulled tightly into the body, the gesture may reveal acute nervousness or chronic anxiety.. Held less tightly against the chest, with elbows elevated and projecting outward, the crossed arms suggest arrogance, dislike, or disagreement.

There, you have all the 18 possible body languages that could happen in a meeting room.

Kacak5 Management

Airplane jokes

2009-11-23T15:03:00.000+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-

Program Managers frequently travels to meet their oversea customers for better interaction in building the business relationship ship. Here is a possible joke.

After a British Airways Flight reached its cruising altitude the Captain announced :
Ladies and Gentlemen this is your captain speaking, Welcome to flight 293 non-stop from London Heathrow to Singapore, we are now cruising at 35,000 feet, the weather ahead is good so we should have a quiet,uneventful flight, so sit back , relax and .......OH MY GOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Silence followed..........

Some moments later the captain came back on the intercom.
Ladies and Gentlemen I'm sorry if I scared you, while I was talking to you a flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee on my lap, you should see the front of my pants !!!!!!!!!

An Irish passenger at the back yelled...........

What???? , you should see the back of mine !

Kacak5 Management

Treat Complaints as Gifts

2009-11-20T19:12:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Too few people on a Program can't solve the problems - too many create more problems than they solve. A problem shared is a buck passed.

I shall break-up the above topics over 3 blog sections in the next few days. Let's agree with this first.

A complain is a second Chance for a company to win back a customer.
Dissatisfied customer can choose either to walk away giving no opportunity to resolve any dissatisfaction or voice it. Choosing to complain is effectively offering the company a chance to repair the damage, salvage the situation and successfully increase the chance continuing business again.

We do know the unattractive side Program Management work, while it represent a rich source of to illuminate a company's overall service performance and becomes more useful than any compliment.

Complaints are gifts when well managed, they can:
1. Provide complimentary business insights you would otherwise pay a research company to produce.
Direct customer's complain provides information of what they want and do not want, please or annoy them, enable you make adjustment to marketing strategies and processes, and stay ahead of competitors. Complaints alert us on potential personnel problem - since employees seldom admit mistakes.

2. Give the company a second chance to salvage the situation with the customer.
Existing customer do hope the problem is fixed fast so they can generate positive word-of-mouth publicly as reference to potential customers.

3. Turn indifferent customers into advocates.
Regardless major or minor complaints, it enable a company to form tight relationships reaching out and making and effort to be available and accountable to all customers will inspire a sense of trust and loyalty.

Kacak5 Management

Sometimes it's better to be an Introvert

2009-11-18T17:21:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Always think twice before you say something, because sometimes accident do happen.

One of the company I had worked with did a personally evaluation on Introvert and Extrovert. Briefly, Introvert are rather careful of their actions and took some seconds to process their thoughts before speaking out. Extrovert, on the other hand,are more daring and shoots out immediately what they wants to say. Company having many customers does not share one customer's information to the other and would prefer Introvert to manage confidentiality when dealing with other client.

My jaw drops when a brave extrovert executive says, "we had proven capable of giving 15% discount to one customer Z so this should not be a problem". FYI, customer B usually give 3~5% annual discount was equally surprised.

Here's another joke.
There were these 4 guys --- Mr. Russian, Mr. German, Mr. Kkkkkkkk (not to offend any nationality & Mr. French, who together found this small genie bottle. When they rubbed the bottle, a genie appeared.

Thankful that the 4 guys had released him out of the bottle, he said : " Next to you all are 4 swimming pools, I will give each of you a wish. When you run towards the pool and jump, you shout what you want the pool of water to become, then your wish will come true. "

Mr. French wanted to start. He ran towards the pool, jumped and shouted : " Wine ! " The pool immediately changed into a pool of wine. Mr. Frenchman was very happy, swimming and drinking from the pool.

Next is the Mr. Russian's turn. He did the same and shouted : " Vodka ! " and immersed himself into a pool of vodka.

The Mr. German was next and he jumped and shouted : " Beer ! " He was likewise very contented with his beer-filled pool.

The last is the Kkkkkk (not to offend any nationality). He was running towards the pool when suddenly he steps on a banana peel. He slipped towards the pool and shouted, " Shit !!!!!!!........."

Kacak5 Management

Project a confident image

2009-11-16T08:56:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
"Self confidence is the requisite to great undertakings."

We do know most of the works done by the Program Management team in the Electronics Manufacturing Services environment are to service the existing client. I do emphasise it further as to grow the business with positive referrals instead. We have to project a positive confident professional image regardless if there are some screw-up happening to indicate we are still in control of the storm.
Successful people are usually people with confident to spurs them on despite the obstacles before them. Here are the 5 tips

1. Be positive
Believe in your abilities and talent to do anything you want and engage in positive talk. Start with a positive attitude daily like assume . " today is going to be a great day for me. I am going to do my best."

2.Visualise success
Visualising the various successes you had achieved previously do motivate you to move on to the next level and gives the exhilaration victory. Just like a video game, even if you failed, the previous success factor will spurs you to find winning ways

3. Improve your image
The way you dress, posture, voice and body language speaks volumes.

Avoid vocalised pauses like "er", "um", "uh" or "well" , as these indicate you are not sure of the situation. Even qualifiers like, " maybe", " I can't". Avoid hidden nervous action like fiddling your pen or ring, arm crossing, and looking away from your client.
Dress appropriately adopting a relaxed posture & poise, walk tall, sit confidently do project you are in control. Eye contact do establishes confidence Sit in front or nearer to where the action is to participate by asking questions. When someone is speaking, lean forward, nod and smile indicating your interest and respect.

4. Prepare well for an event
When you are well prepare, you exude confidence with organised thoughts and could enthusiastically present clearly. Do your research ensuring your facts are right, rehearse the points and arguments using words and phrases familiar to you.

5. Leave your comfort zone
Offer your service to work on something new ensuring yourself, "I can succeed".

If you can have confidence in your self, you generate positive energy. great determination and drive within you helping you to face the challenges, overcome the odds, the hurdles, the hiccups and bumps. Your client will have great confidence knowing anything they provided is in proper control.

Kacak5 Management

Never assume anything

2009-11-13T17:17:00.002+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Never assume you knows everything without checking first

Standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand, " Listen," said the CEO, " this is a very sensitive and important document, and my secretary has left. Can you make this thing work?"

"Certainly," said the young executive.

He turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button.

"Excellent, excellent! " said the CEO as his paper disappeared inside the shredder machine. " I just need one copy. "

MORAL OF THE STORY: NEVER, NEVER ASSUME THAT YOUR BOSS KNOWS EVERYTHING

Kacak5 Management

Convince your boss

2009-11-11T15:13:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
If Program’s Gantt Chart content is allowed to change freely the rate of change will exceed the rate of progress.

Program Management needs lots of senior management support and bosses and without it, we often rant and rave telling colleague negative stories. But think again, "did you present in a right way?" to sell your ideas more effectively to your boss?

1. Start off on a positive note
Bringing positive attitude will put your boss at ease to be receptive to your message. Check the "weather" for clues about your boss's mood. Even greeting him "Can I take up some of your time?" and listen to how he replies. Make an excuse to defer the meeting if the "weather" is not good.

2.Present facts and figures, not just opinions.
Opinion can easily be challenged while valid facts and figures will be tough to question. Being unprepared will make you look incompetent and unprofessional. A very high risk to decide to your favour.

3. Empathise with your boss
Imagine this scenario. Your boss receive news from HQ to drastically cut cost. You approach him and say "The old machine is slow while I had quotes for a new machine at US$200K". I am sure the approval is slim.
If you say, "We have confirm orders for 15K pcs for the next 5 months. The old machine is producing 5 pcs/ hour and running 24 hours x 7 days on overtime. The new machine costing US$200K is capable of 30 pcs/ hour on 7 hours x 5 days, without overtime, we will recover our cost of investment within 3 months or 10K pieces and it will be clean profits from there onwards." By providing facts and figures and emphasizing cost effectiveness, you are likely to get your boss approval as he could present the expenses logically.

4. Don't raise problems walkout possible solutions.
Aways have some possible solutions in mind when presenting a problem to your boss. Influence him into agreeing with a likely positive outcome to your solution. Say "Do you think we should.....?". If he says yes, it becomes his idea & you get the commitment, never mind it's your idea in the first place.

5. Get commitment by fixing specifics
Agreement without commitment are wasted efforts! Set your boss a date, time for next meeting, dateline to accomplish, or budget deadline. If it's a big project, make a gantt chart for commitment.

Remember to speak with confidence and conviction projecting yourself as a problem solver to your boss.

Kacak5 Management

Perform better, sell more!

2009-11-09T15:00:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Program’s right answers to wrong questions are just as wrong as Program’s wrong answers to right questions.

To perform well in business, core business teams and leaders must learn the basic fundamentals of their industry, to out-think and out-perform competitors.

Knowing how to acquire information and transferring it into knowledge is vital to Program and Business Managers. Here are the 3 insights to boosting your sales.

1. Impact
We learn faster if we are interested and curious about the subject matter. It help if employees are in the best environment to support learning when the mentors are well prepared and in sync. The impact of new material should have an emotional appeal that can be transferred into a new application and skill.

2. Repetition
Repeat anything often enough with conviction and it becomes part of you. After learning strategies and statements that worked and adapting them, we could use these knowledge at the right time to bring benefits to our customers and company.

3. Utilisation
Basic law of possession, "use it or lose it". Meeting decision makers about your products/ services and being prepared at the right time is vital to sales success. Learning all your company offering and presenting in an organised manner utilising the "golden hour" to schedule meeting as many people as possible.

A Factory experience.
A medical customer came to visit while a Process Engineer ask what kind of quality level would be required. The customer replied " IPC Class 3". The surprised Engineer asked, "what's that?"
I suggested a separate internal discussion and explain the Process Engineer needs to read more.
In the electronics manufacturing environment, IPC Class 3 would meant "IPC-A-610-D, Class 3". This is an international workmanship quality level documented limit where we refers to in case of dispute. Ranging from Class 1 (lowest level) to Class 3 (highest level), even the Class 3 have their minimum quality tolerance.
The Quality Manager knows the customer is satisfied with our workmanship quality but was surprised by the poor product knowledge of new staff member. Now we have frequent written pop quizzes with pictures of acceptable limits until the staff learnt all of them.

Kacak5 Management

Hiring overqualified staffs

2009-11-07T15:00:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
If it can go wrong it will - Murphy's law.
If it can't possibly go wrong, it will - O'Malley's corollary to Murphy's law.
It will go wrong in the worst possible way - Sod's law.
If there is a 50% chance of something going wrong then 9 times out of 10 it will.

In the mid '80s, I had a guy Mr Z (same age as me) reporting to me at work who did the extra one year secondary "Remove Class" while I went straight to "Form 1" hence I had graduated earlier, 1 year lead start working experience to be his boss. After a few years, he left for another organisation. The Plant is closing down, so I moved on attending job interview with another organisation CEO. I got the new job and was surprisingly introduced to Mr Z as my new boss! Respecting each other's role, we work fine for over 3 years having him as my boss, knowing I could be overqualified to be his subordinate.

Back to 2009, I do prefer having overqualified staff reporting to me. Overqualified could range from the amount of experience, education or credentials, was a more senior role or title or highly paid previously.

Here are the 3 key benefits of having them on board my team.

Overqualified candidates
1.usually have a better capabilities to do the job immediately and quickly add value with very short learning curve, and many contingency ideas on how to resolve issues.

2. add value beyond role. Approaching task differently, they thinks beyond the role and foresee other issues and possibilities, seeing broader perspective on other stakeholders.

3. provide build-in-bench strength to the organisation, ability to expand his responsibilities.

Conventional wisdom suggest otherwise, while not every situation are ideal, overqualified candidates may prove to be huge and unexpected assets to our organisation.

Kacak5 Management

High Flying Program Manager

2009-11-04T15:36:00.002+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
The most successful Program Managers have perfected the skill of being comfortable when being uncomfortable.

A man is flying in a hot air balloon and realizes he is lost. He reduces height and spots a man down below. He lowers the balloon further and shouts: "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised my friend. I would meet him half an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man below says, "Yes, you are in a hot air balloon, hovering approximately 30 feet above this field. You are between 40 and 42 degrees North latitude, and between 58 and 60 degrees West longitude."

"You must be a programmer," says the balloonist.

"I am," replies the man. "How did you know?"

"Well," says the balloonist, "everything you have told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost."

The man below says, "You must be a Program manager"

"I am," replies the balloonist, "but how did you know?"

"Well," says the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You have made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. The fact is you are in the exact same position you were in before we met, but now it is somehow my fault."

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Kacak5 Management

Get to know your staff better

2009-11-02T15:04:00.002+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Management is getting work done through other.

We spent most of our waking hours at work. Work should give meaning to our life even as it gives us an identity. Employee are happy when we find our work "meaningful" or more than"just a job". Key contributing factors Program Managers should know are good work environment and positive relationships with colleagues and managers who respect, recognise and acknowledge them and their values.

Know your teammates
Try checking if you know if your team mates are married? how many kids? where do they stay? It drove home a point- these are people you work with everyday and their families and loved ones are as important to them as your loved one are to you.

Make small talk
Make a mental note of what they say, sometimes, it's the little thing that matter. Hold a "not about work" tea-break discussion. It's amazing the number of things you can find out about the people you work with. It like opening a secret door to your people's hearts.

Break down barriers
We will become entwined with the lives of the people we work closely with, spending more time with your colleague than with your families. Understand peoples lives and giving them some leeway at times build bonds--it does not mean that we, as their leader, lose our objectivity.

Letting go
Leaders do feel resentful when someone they held close, leave the company. People also rally around good bosses and stay with them.

Tough love
A good leader sets things right, meaning " I care about you but I don't like the way you work, and if you don't change, we will have a difficult time working together in the future." A Program Manager need to be firm about what is acceptable behaviour from his team.

An attitude of gratitude
Seeing your team going the extra mile for you is a very humbling experience. What makes people do that for you? Good leaders are the ones who often say complimentary things about their team members, shaping and moulding their behaviour. Leaders see potential, capability and skill in their teams and encourage these aspects to grow.

Program Manager should be optimistically say " I am very blessed; I have a really great team.". Try it and see the results.

Kacak5 Management

Program Management Code Words

2009-10-28T20:35:00.003+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Quantitative Program management is for predicting cost and schedule overruns well in advance.

Here are the codes!
What he tells you
What it actually means

Average blended, fully-loaded rate schedule
I don't have any idea what the average rate is, so I'm making up a number and declaring it to be correct. Since no one else has any idea either, it is unlikely that I'll get caught.

How much will the BOM cost?
I need a number that I can nail you with later when the Program fails due to cost over-run

How much will the Memory IC cost?
I need a good estimate ...and make it cheap.

The Program is green
The Program is red but we'll have that fixed in no time. Besides, if I report red that would make the VP look bad to start scolding me.

The Program is yellow
The Program is red and I can't hide it entirely, so I'll say yellow. If the real red status ever gets out it will cost me my job.

The Program is red
It's a good thing I have that job interview tomorrow.

Critical Path
Quickest route to the outhouse/ Toilet

Privily
See Critical Path

Kacak5 Management

Money in the bank

2009-10-27T12:11:00.007+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
When we takes care of the company, the company will takes care of you....... provide you inform the CEO of all the good deeds and cost savings you did.

Dealing with past-due accounts is not everybody’s cup of tea, but it has an important role and significant impact on the financial state of the business.

Program Management undertakes the well being of the business. When the company’s Finance Department fails to get the payment, this affect cash flow, increase collection expenses and erode profit margins. We do know the ability to collect unpaid accounts deteriorates at an average of 10% each month, and after a year, the likelihood of collecting is just 25%.

Reduce accounts receivable cost

Interactive notification can reduce collection cost like stamps, paper and phone bills. Invoice and reminder letter can be delivered at a faster rate using voice, e-mail, fax and SMS.

Shorten the collection period

Start using payment due & late payment reminders and proactive approach improves early payment cycle. A company improves its average collection periods by contacting customers when the payment was almost due will dramatically increase their collection rates & capture payments before customers default.

Increase contact rates

Interactive notifications enables busy signals or answering machines, call backs to be processed automatically until the contact is reached

Enhance customer relationships

Automated calls are less intimidating than a phone call and more effective than direct mail. By contacting a customer is a non-threatening manner, awkward situation can be avoided and cordial customer relationship maintained,.

Private and consistent message

Improve the consistency of message to customers by scripting a pre-recorded message with the appropriate tone. Sending a well targeted message, whether it is a gentle reminder or formal request for payment, leaves a better image of the company.

With the right system in place, substantial improvements can be made to the business cash flow, resulting in increase profit margin and eventually money in the bank for the company.

Kacak5 Management

Program Manager's perspective to Job Search Jargon

2009-10-21T15:00:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
"The same work under the same conditions will be estimated differently by ten different estimators or by one estimator at ten different times". Jargon will also be interpreted differently.

Being with a group to discuss about the Job market situation, we joking twisted the advertisement's jargon into a strange meaning. Whether you are a student looking for that first time or summer job or a long time veteran looking for a change of pace, this JOB SEARCH JARGON should help you get on your way...
You do need to ponder further on the messages.

COMPETITIVE SALARY:
We remain competitive by paying less than our competitors.

FLEXIBLE HOURS:
Work 55 hours; get paid for 37.5 hours. Executives have to be flexible on the hours and do not get overtime pays.

GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
Management communicates, you listen, figure out what they want you to do.

ABILITY TO HANDLE A HEAVY WORKLOAD:
You whine, you're fired.

CAREER-MINDED:
We expect that you will want to flip hamburgers until you are 70.

SELF-MOTIVATED:
Management won't answer questions

SOME OVERTIME REQUIRED:
Some time each night and some time each weekend

DUTIES WILL VARY:
Anyone in the office can boss you around.

COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT:
We have a lot of turnover.

SALES POSITION REQUIRING MOTIVATED SELF-STARTER:
We're not going to supply you with leads; there's no base salary; you'll wait 30 days for your first commission check.

CASUAL WORK ATMOSPHERE:
We don't pay enough to expect that you'll dress up; well, a couple of the real daring guys wear earrings.

SOME PUBLIC RELATIONS REQUIRED:
If we're in trouble, you'll go on TV and get us out of it.

SEEKING CANDIDATES WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF EXPERIENCE:
You'll need it to replace three people who just left.

PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS A MUST:
You're walking into a company in perpetual chaos.

These are a lot of jokes for today.

Kacak5 Management

How do you define Professional and Personal ethics?

2009-10-19T08:00:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
"Program management is just common sense - the trouble is common sense isn't very common in many organisation".

I am still job hunting after being lay ed-off and had been applying jobs from many companies. One of the potential employer requires me to write a 700 words essay on "How do you define Professional and Personal ethics? ". Here is what I had submitted and I do pray some kind organisation will employ me.

PERSONAL ETHNICS, integrity and honesty will strongly influence a person's professional ethical conduct and are essential elements in a trusted leader.

Personal convictions to instinctively do what is right, defers individually on each of us to sense when we are off course and then initiate immediate correction. I am firmly convinced that integrity must be built from within.

My dad, a retired Army officer since 1983, had instilled a very strict upbringing on the family. Personal ethnics and convictions develop from family, community, education, religious/spiritual upbringing, and peer influence. The effect of is obvious as mention in the Bible: "Do not be deceived. Bad company corrupts good morals" (1 Cor. 15:33). We know drugs, fraud, lying and cheating result from the influence of peers.

We do understand that "honesty and integrity have been replaced in many business by a win-at-any-cost attitude that puts quality, expediency and personal gain above all else." This would not work for very long term business relationship to maintain.

Personal ethnics are the 'stuff' we absorb from our parents and immediate surroundings till adulthood of how we 'should' behave in any given situation and in the face of difficult situations.

Personal or Professional Ethnics decisions are as follows.
1. Justice versus mercy; that fairness, equity, and even-handed of the law often conflict with compassion, empathy, and love.
2. Short-term versus long-term: decisions when immediate needs or desires run counter to future goals or prospects.
3. Individual versus company; or as us versus them, self versus others,

PROFESSIONAL ETHNICS values that I would define as most important were responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty.

RESPONSIBILITY; to take ownership for the decisions we make, the corrective actions we take, and the consequences that result based on the best interests of the company.
We fulfill the commitments that we undertake (we do what we say we will do) that are consistent with the company’s capability, our background, experience, skills, and qualifications.
We protect confidential information and uphold the policies, regulations and laws that govern our work, and profession.
We have to report unethical or illegal conduct, example; theft, fraud or bribery to management and to those affected by the conduct when they are proven by facts.

RESPECT; showing a high regard for ourselves, others, and the resources entrusted to us which may include people, money, and reputation of others.
Respect engenders trust, confidence, and performance excellence by fostering mutual cooperation — an environment where diverse views are encouraged.
We listen to others’ points of view, seeking to understand them and approach directly those persons with whom we have a conflict to negotiate. This will avoid gossip and negative remarks to undermine another person’s reputation.
We should not abuse our position to influence the decisions or actions of others in order to benefit personally at their expense.

FAIRNESS; to act impartially and objectively, free from competing self interest, prejudice, and favoritism by demonstrating transparency in our decision-making process.
We award opportunities equally and equal access to information to those who are authorized to have that information.
We avoid conflict of interest by making full disclosure to the affected stakeholders and after obtaining the consent of the stakeholders to proceed.
Favoritism and Discrimination would be to hire or fire, reward or punish, or award or deny contracts based on personal considerations or discriminate against others based on gender, race, age, religion or disability.

HONESTY; to act in a truthful manner in our communications to provide accurate and reliable information in a timely manner.
The confidence to share truthful bad news even when it may be poorly received or negative outcome without burying information or shifting blame to others.
We avoid taking credit for the positive achievements of others. Professionals should create an environment in which others feel safe to tell the truth.
We do not engage in behavior that is designed to deceive others, making misleading or false statements, stating half-truths, providing information out of context or withholding information that would render our statements as misleading or incomplete with intention of personal gain or at the expense of another.
Professional develops credibility by providing complete and accurate information.

Kacak5 Management

SnapIT Screen Capture

2009-10-16T10:44:00.008+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
A verbal contract isn't worth the evidence it's written on.
Bad news does not improve with age and should be acted upon immediately.

Capture anything you see on your PC screen!
Don't waste time cropping your captures. Take a "snapshot" of anything exactly what you need, with just a click.Easy to Learn, Easy to Use!

Using SnapIt Screen Capture Software takes just three simple steps:
1. Start the program (click on the program's icon). It appears minimized in a system tray:

2. Click PrtScr (Print Screen) button and select with mouse what you need to capture on the screen. After selecting the region it is automatically copied to the clipboard.

3. Save a snapshot from the clipboard with any way you like:

- Open Microsoft Word and create new document. Press Ctrl+v combination and paste image from the clipboard to the document. Technical Writers often use this approach to describe program interfaces.
- Open Photoshop. Create new image file or open existed image file. Simply paste captured image from the clipboard (press Ctrl+v combination). This approach is convenient for Graphic Designers in order to make collages.
- Right mouse click on the SnapIt icon in a system tray and you will see the menu bellow. Choose "Save As" and save captured image as bmp, png, gif, jpg, etc file.

4. Use the Properties menu to define the hot key you want to press to take your screenshots

The most powerful feature of SnapIt:
In menu Properties you may switch on "Auto save images" option. It means that every time you capture image on your PC screen you don't need to save it! It will be saved automatically in the selected folder with selected image type. It is a very convenient feature for web designers who surf the Internet for new graphic ideas and want to save them in their local collection with one click.

Top features:

Supports hotkeys, auto-saving, clipboard Automatically copies screenshots to the clipboard Saves files in BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG and TIFF formats Irreplaceable tool for Designers, Office Workers, Business People, Analysts and more Perfect for Technical Writers who have to describe interfaces, menus, buttons, etc.

Try SnapIt for FREE!

Discover how easy it is to take a "snapshot" of anything exactly what you need on your PC screen! http://www.digeus.com/products/snapit/snapit_screen_capture_3_5.html

Kacak5 Management

Business Proposal Ideas

2009-10-14T14:53:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Planning is an unnatural process, doing something is much more fun. People make Gantt Chart works, Gantt Chart alone seldom makes people work.

Begin writing your business proposal with a brief summary that outline & identify who will be performing the day-to-day duties; identify the manager of the business venture and his or her responsibilities.

In the body of the business proposal, identify where the work will be performed, the cost, anticipated income and the methods of controlling quality. Submit a Gantt Chart schedule with milestones that states the length of time it will take to complete the propose business deal.

The Outline
Using an outline to generate a brief summary should begin with a list of the objectives or expectations, manpower, equipment and materials needed. Document the cost to start-up and operate on a monthly and annual basis because monthly expenses and income will fluctuate. If the business proposal is for a one-time only business deal include the investment required and the anticipated income.

An example of an objective or expectation would be "we expect to be able to sell US$10Million PCBA EMS business by soliciting target of 15 tier 2 customers."

Labor, Equipment and Materials Needed
Identifying the equipment or materials needed in your business proposal may read "our plan is to secure the services of a freelance EMS customer representatives."

Document the cost of the paper, and the fees to be paid to the EMS Customer Reps. Name the person who will manage the project and how long the project will take to complete.

Investment & Income
State the investment required implementing the project and the return on the investment in the body of the proposal. Include information that relates to your company and industry.

Document the facts used to determine the anticipated income, an example would be "we target the 1st US$1M sales income to be achieve by the 9th months."

Schedule
Base completion dates and milestones on information from those who will be performing the work. It may take a Sales Manager/ EMS Reps 4 weeks to solicit targeted business,3 months of RFQ and price negotiation, 2 months of Pilot Run and evaluation before the Mass Production P/Os are issued.

Research
Read proposals what have been successfully implemented. Use the business proposal models that are most like your business proposition.

Speak with all the major parties involved and make a list of the recommendations and implement the best options in your business proposal.

Kacak5 Management

How Does a Business Proposal Work?

2009-10-12T14:58:00.002+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
A Program is one small step for the Sales Vice President, one giant leap for the Program Manager. Planning without action is futile, action without planning is fatal.

Business Proposal
If you need to present a business solicitation for a product or manufacturing service to get customers, a business proposal is the best format to use. By laying out the who, what, when, where and whys of your company's information, any potential buyer will have all the information needed to make an informed decision.

A business proposal not only gives your prospect needed information, but you as well. Once completed the proposal can act as a guideline when it comes time to put your preposition into action.

Features
The key points developed within a business proposal cover every aspect of your company in step-by-step detail. Areas to cover are

- Main goals of the business
The main goals of your business objectives will incorporate your company vision and the mission, or purpose, it serves.
- Products, and/or services offered
Provide a clear depiction of what you're offering and how it will benefit the customer
- Market analysis and marketing strategy
Break down who and where your target market is, along with their likes and dislikes, and how you plan to reach them
- Operational components of the business idea
List all aspects from start to finish of what is needed to put your idea into action. This includes buildings, production needs, marketing methods and inventory needs
- Financial plan
Based on listed operational needs, the financial plan forecasts how much money is needed, when it will be needed and how will repayment be made
Identification
Before starting a business proposal, two issues that you'll want to be clear on are the mission and vision for the business. Composing both a mission statement and a vision statement to start is a good way of focusing in on the strength of your business.

The vision statement will describe exactly what your idea will look like in 5, 10 and 20 years. It's an inspirational depiction of the business idea that should jump start your creativity and focus your plan. The mission statement is more so a statement of purpose explaining what needs your business idea will serve, who it will help and how.

If your prospect has made it this far through the proposal, there's a good chance she's interested in the idea. The products or services portion of your proposal can make or break the deal. Product features and customer benefits should be described in clear, concise words from the customers' point of view.

Effects
How your products/services will affect a particular target company is what the market analysis and marketing strategy portions of the proposal will cover. Presenting the likes and dislikes of a target company in relation to how your product/services will meet a need, lays out the business potential for your prospect. The marketing strategy will then map out a plan on how you will reach this target population.

The remainder of the proposal is the nuts and bolts portion of your proposition, (Project Management) listing in verbatim, every material and service that will be needed to get the business off the ground and the overall cost to accomplish it.

When done right, an effective business proposal engages the right prospect and leads him to a logical conclusion. Any questions, doubts or concerns the prospect may have are covered in a well crafted business proposal.

Kacak5 Management

Basics of Program Management

2009-10-09T09:23:00.002+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
The most successful Program Managers have perfected the skill of being comfortable when being uncomfortable. All Program Managers face problems on Monday mornings - good Program Managers are working on next Monday's problems.

Usually a Program Manager has several Projects to manage. The management of a project is usually the difference between failure and success. A good program manager can inspire, motivate and push their co-workers to the limits of ability and creativity. Once you have a good project, you need good management. When Programs are planned and implemented well, the business has the potential of advancing. This can happen with the help of a Program manager.

Definition of a Project
A Project is a temporary undertaking in which the purpose is to reach a specific and unique result. Certain provisions are specified and must be followed. Because a Program is temporary, there are clear start and end dates.

Role of Program Manager
A Program Manager is assigned the task of planning the Program and ensuring the desired end results are achieved. The success of a Program is determined by whether or not the Program was completed on time and within budget, has been accepted by the customer and has not disturbed the organization's work flow.

Skills of a Program Manager
A Program manager must have skills in the areas of communication, decision-making, problem solving, leadership, stress management, conflict resolution, negotiation, integrity, team-building and resource allocation. She must also have general knowledge of business management technology.

Program Management and Innovation
Innovative ideas can stem from Program management. The Program team plans and implements many new ideas that help the business continuously grow and evolve. Resources are organized and used in a way that helps to achieve these innovative goals.

Wow Programs
Wow Programs are intense Programs that bring much more to the organization than ordinary Programs. Program managers can create Wow Programs by taking ordinary jobs that nobody wants to do and turning them into something miraculous.

Kacak5 Management

How to Communicate Effectively as a Manager

2009-10-07T15:03:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
A great manager is being able to communicate effectively with your subordinates, superiors, and co-workers.

Mastering this art of communication can be difficult for new managers coming into a new role and having to learn how to deal with all the new personality types. Even experienced manager has to overcome this skill requirement. It can also be different for managers who have received a promotion and will now have to delegate to their peers. No matter what your situation and challenges, effective communication is necessary in order to succeed.
Here are a few tips on how to communicate effectively as a manager:

Step 1
Be a supervisor, not a friend.
It’s important to set the tone in the beginning, and let your subordinates know that you are first and foremost their boss, and then their friend. This can be extremely difficult if you were close before your promotion to manager and now you have to discipline them. True friends will understand not to overstep the boundaries and realize that you have a commitment to the company.

Step 2
Remember what it was like to be the subordinate.
Relate to your employees and although, at times, it’s necessary for you to be firm, try to be understanding. Do your best to solve problems that were issues when you were in that position. Accept feedback and praise suggestions.

Step 3
Lead by example.
If you are late to work everyday how do you expect your employees to show up on time? It’s important that you lead by example and show your employee’s what it’s like being a manager.

Step 4
Don’t only delegate—participate!
Employees will work harder for you if they see you work hard. If it takes longer to tell someone to do something for you than it takes for you to do it yourself, do it yourself! Asking your employee to pick something off the fax machine for you or send an email when you could have done it just as quickly and efficiently, it will make your employees resent you. Delegate respectfully and do not overuse your power.

Step 5
Reward good behavior.
If you have made budget this month, or if your employee has done an exceptional job, reward them! Gift certificates, holiday bonuses, lunch catered in, coffee and bagels are all nice gestures. Employees will be more excited to work hard and diligently if they know you really appreciate them. Show them you care.

Step 6
When giving constructive criticism to an employee, always mention the good.
Praise them for all the good stuff they have done and then let them down easy with the bad. Give them ample time to fix the problem, and discuss their goals and future expectations. Don’t let the problem get so bad that it cannot be solved.

Kacak5 Management

Understand what your customers want.

2009-10-05T08:49:00.006+08:00

***hole Manager

2009-10-02T18:00:00.000+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Nothing is impossible for the person who doesn’t have to do it.

The body parts argue over who should be in charge.
The brain says he should be in charge because he keeps everything running.
The blood says he should be in charge because he delivers oxygen to everything else.
The stomach says he should be in charge because he provides energy.

Suddenly, the rectum speaks up and says he should be in charge because he is in charge of getting rid of waste.

They all laugh at the rectum and call him names. Frustrated, the rectum shuts down and stops working. Soon the brain was hurting, the stomach was all bloated, and the blood was full of toxins. So, they gave in and let the rectum be in charge.

You do not always have to be smart to be in charge, just an ***hole.

Kacak5 Management

Boost your business with referrals

2009-10-01T12:54:00.003+08:00

Business words of wisdom:-
"Program Management is in the business of building relationship bridges"- Albert Ho

Referrals are an extension of business networking. If your existing customers like your services and are totally satisfied, there is a good chance that they will recommend you to others. People will not necessarily sing praises unless you take various actions of getting referrals.

Ask people
Ask your existing customers if there is anyone they know who could use your service. If your contact window is leaving for a new job, ask to maintain contacts and the new employer could use the your contact window as referee name.

Offer Incentives
Offer a discount or a prize to your existing customer who refers you to a new customer. Or offer an "introduction fee" to anyone who refers a new business.

Have a referral form
You could also makes it official just to confirm an award to anyone who refers new business. The information received will be much accurate than verbal referrals.

Ask for letter of recommendation.
Ask existing customers for some letter or comments you could use for your sales promotion. A Plague or trophy that appreciates your services as evidence.

Listen for Potential referrals
Keep your eyes open for referrals. Sometime, you existing customer will says, "My friends is still suffering from the same problems in his business I used to have". This would be an opportunity your services could fix your customer's friend problem.

Thank people who help you
When new customer contact you, always ask how they heard about you. You should send a thank you note to that person. This encourage them to refer more people to you. Sometime, people are timid and does not want to claim credit, so we should make the first move to give thanks.

Refer business to them
Remember " I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" story? In the business world, we have to share business leads to survive. If my main commodity being the electronics products but my potential client is searching for metal parts fabricator (which we are not capable of doing), I should share this leads to the metal fabricator with the intention one day if he will do the same.

Kacak5 Management

Program Manager, Hardware and Software Engineer

2009-09-30T18:01:00.000+08:00

A Program Manager, a Hardware Engineer and a Software Engineer were in a car heading down a hill when the brakes failed. The driver managed to get it stopped by using the gears and a convenient dirt track.

All three jumped out and after peering under the car the Hardware Engineer said, "I see what the problem is and technically with this handy roll of duct tape I think I can fix it good enough to get us to the next town".

The Program Manager quickly interrupted, "No, no, no. Before we do anything we need to decide on a Gantt Chart, vision for our future, figure out a plan and assign individual deliverables".

At which point the Software Engineer said, "You know what, I think we should re-boot by pushing the car back up to the top of the hill and see if it happens again".

KACAK5 Management

Cubestat on Kacak5 Management blog

2009-09-28T20:06:00.006+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
"To dream the impossible dream......."

Would you believe my blog is worth over US$273 Millions and my advertisement over US$375K daily!

It too good to be true. Please either click on the image below or log-in to the web address here
http://www.cubestat.com/www.kacak5-management.blogspot.com

Kacak5 Management

Business Spring Cleaning Time

2009-09-28T18:00:00.001+08:00

Program Management words of wisdom:
" If everything seems to be going well, you obviously don't know what's going on"- Edward Murphy.

Points to ponder
1. Helping a prospect solve a business problem creates a "win-win" relationship and closes more sales than you think.

2. Remember – nothing adds more to your credibility than a referral from a satisfied prospect.

3. Selling is a numbers game, and you need to learn your "selling ratios."
============================================================

You may call it's Spring Cleaning Time or time for an annual checkup, our business needs to undergo a reality checkup each year. No matter how large or small our business is, we cannot gauge the effectiveness of any changes we've made without analyzing the benefits and bottom line.

Here are 10 questions to get started:

* How do your year-to-date sales compare to the last couple of years?
Don't be satisfied if you managed to match them because if sales stayed the same then you've achieved zero growth. With inflation, this flat growth line is a warning sign for more trouble down the road.

* What percentage of your business is from repeat customers?
This is important to know because if it's too low, then it needs to be improved. The estimated cost of getting a new customer versus retaining an existing one can be as much as five to one in terms of dollars spent. Keeping customers is more cost-effective than constantly seeking new ones.

* How long has it been since you offered a new product or service?
Loyal customers like to see you innovate, changing and progressing with the times for cost down and quality improvement. If you're stuck for an idea, ask your customers what they need.

* Do you consider marketing and advertising expenses or investments?
How you look at the money spent in these areas affects your willingness to spend money at all. Would you look at marketing as a waste of money? Marketing is really investing in your business, your vision, and your company. The old adage that you must spend money to make money is true, but you must spend it wisely. Spend it on sales promotion that are pulling responses and orders, and if they're not maybe you need to change methods.

* Do you know what Public Relation is and how to use it to positively position your business in the media?
I'll bet that at least one of your competitors does. Nearly every company or business in the newspapers and magazines is a direct result of publicity efforts. Being quoted or featured in an article speaks volumes to your clients and readers who are your potential prospects. A good PR consultant can do that for you and show you ways to extend the shelf life of that article beyond its
publication.

* Are you listed in the web listing? If you only have a line listing, consider including a small ad in the web pages. If you can afford it, it will pay dividends throughout the year.

* Do you treat your regular customers better than your drop-ins?
You should. If your customers don't feel special when coming to you for products of services, why should they remain loyal to you? Have a customer VIP treatment when when they visit your company or a special invitation to visit you (they loves to travel too!). Send occasional post cards or greeting cards for special events or just to keep in touch. Learn to recognize them on sight and greet them by name when they visit you. You may take photos of them and write their names on it if have problems recalling names or have a large name card on the table where they sit.

* How long has it been since you really talked to other staffs of your customers?
Just as you appreciate when your Doctor takes time to talk to you, your customers will appreciate you if you take an interest in their needs. If you have a service business, have lunch or coffee periodically with some regulars – even if they only contact you once or twice a year. The personal touch in an impersonal world will be remembered.

* How is your business doing compared to your competition?
Every company, no matter what the size, has competition – even home-based businesses. Is their business growing or downsizing? Is their pricing or service better than yours? If so, what can
you tell potential customers about the price difference? Think about how you can improve your service to meet or exceed your customer's expectations.

* Are your employees happy?
Don't ask them directly, but observe them throughout the day. Watch, listen and learn.
Employees who like their jobs don't watch the clock for quitting time, aren't habitually late, don't have poor body language, don't spend time on personal phone calls, and don't look like they never smiled. Observe how they interact with customers. Not everyone is a match for direct contact with
the public, so make sure you don't have an employee who is driving business away!

.
Kacak5 Management

Why we should have meetings

2009-09-25T18:00:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:
"Meetings are events in which minutes are kept and hours are lost.................if nobody is assign to execute the activities"
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If a company's practises this kind of communication channel, the end result will be very strange. In a meeting room, team members should be present, everybody should be treated as equal and with equal respect.

Production Engineer to RFP/RFQ Executive:
"This is not possible. **Impossible**. It will involve design change and no body in our team knows the full design of the product. And above that nobody in our company knows the language in which this software has been written by another company. So even if somebody wants to work on it, they can't. If you ask my personal opinion the company should never take these type of business."

RFP/RFQ Executive to Program Manager:
"This Project will involve design change. Currently we don't have people who have experience in this type of work. Also the obsolete IC Chip replacement is unknown so we will have to arrange for some training if we take this business. In my personal opinion, we should avoid taking this Project."

Program Manager to Program Director:
"This Project involves design change in the system and we don't have much experience in that area. Also not many people are trained in this area. In my personal opinion we can take the business but we should ask for some more time to invest in a new Design Department and employ required expertise."

Program Director to Sales Vice President
"This Project involves design re-engineering. We have some people who have worked in this area and some who know the language. So they can train other people. In my personal opinion we should take this business but with caution."

Sales VP to CEO:
"This Project will show the industry our capabilities in remodeling the design of a complete system. We will have all the necessary skills and people to execute this Program successfully. Some people have already given in-house training in this area to other people. In my personal opinion we should not let this business go by under any circumstance."

CEO to Client:
"These are the type of Business in which our company specialize. We have executed many Projects of the same nature for many big clients. Trust me when I say that you are in the safest hand in the Industry. In my personal opinion we can execute this business successfully and that too well with in the given time frame."

Kacak5 Management

Living in 2009 and laughing

2009-09-25T09:07:00.004+08:00

Business Management words of wisdom:-
Evolve with time or be a dinosaur.

I started working in the Program & Business Management environment since 1990 while we were still using faxes and transparencies. I had to carry very heavy luggage during any oversea business trips as the communications and files are in hardcopy papers with several transparencies for each company that I visited.

For those younger generations, faxes were received at a centralised fax machine for in-bound and outbound letters where an operator will be required to read the content. If the fax attentioned to me have 3 other names to be cc to, the operator will photocopy 3 sets and placed it into the respective pigeon hole for the respective department to collect. The amount of A4 papers used was fantastic and keeps piling up in my office as we have to file these hardcopy document.

Transparencies are A4 sized transparent plastic sheets used for placing our presentation materials which are later placed on a powerful light source that project the image/ information onto a screen.

We can travel very light now on a PC notebook.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2009 when...

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave. Password is also required for office photocopier machines nowadays.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years. In fact , many had been playing alone against the computers.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3, but you do not memories all the phone numbers.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you. Skype chat or MSN Messager is the favorite here.

5. With web's help, you can communicate in any languages to the foreign person who sits at the desk next to you.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries. Door bells becomes obsolete.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen. Any company that does not have website are fake.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee. You have to go on line before going to sleep too.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly how to write foul rude words without being foul like ^&#$%^&*+_)(*.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses. Greetings cards are sent on softcopies only.

16. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list

AND NOW YOU ARE LAUGHING at yourself.

Kacak5 Management

Guide to EMS Outsourcing Management

2009-09-23T08:00:00.003+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
If Project/Program content is allowed to change freely the rate of change will exceed the rate of progress.

Manufacturing Agreements (MA) are legally binding agreements between two or more parties. MA are pervasive and used in many aspects of life such as they form the cornerstone of commerce in the modern economy. Outsourcing terms are enforceable by the legal system and courts of any modern state. Effective outsourcing management before the MA is an important function in many businesses.

Outsourcing Process
There are four stages in the outsourcing process:
1) Requisition process: Internally at this stage, specifications of the work are determined, and qualified manufacturers are identified.
2) Solicitation process: This entails asking for bids or proposals. Various EMS or service providers will be asked to participate in this process. When purchasing commodities, price might be the deciding factor, but when buying a specific service or product various factors such as competence, quality and warranties are taken into account in accepting a bid or proposal.
3) Award process: At this stage, a manufacturer is selected and a MA contract is negotiated and signed.
4) Manufacturing process: Finally the manufacturing is actually carried out. The manufacturer and purchaser follow the terms of the MA, organize the work and monitor progress.

Some common types of MA are as follows:
1) Fixed price or lump sum: In this type of contract there is an agreed price for the performance of work. It provides a degree of certainty for both parties because the MA clearly defines what is involved and at what price.
2) Unit rate: Here the pay is directly proportional to the volume and range of work. An example is supply of electronics products where the monetary amount would be defined by the volume of units supplied.
3) Reimbursable or cost plus: There is an upfront payment to the manufacturer. These types of agreement are used when the scope of the work is a one off activity like Non Recurring Expenses for tooling, jigs and fixtures.
4) Project/program management: Here the manufacturer agrees to manage a turnkey project for a specific duration of time, from ground zero blank sheet of paper to actual realisation of the final box build product.

Structure
Generally a MA should contain the following headings:
1) Definition of MA terms: This section defined terms and field-specific word.
2) Project scope: This section provides information on the whole project to give context to the services that the MA is going to provide.
3) The services and work to be performed.
4) Facilities that should be provided by the client (e.g. testers, tooling....).
5) Warranties and guarantees of the services provided.
6) Definition of fee base i.e. cost of the project.
7) Terms of payment: Time of payments and conditions that should be met for the payment are clarified.
8) Taxes (e.g. sales and use tax).
9) Insurance coverage and freight terms
10) Other contractual provisions based on the nature of the program.
11) Miscellaneous provisions like "excess material liability should the program ends"

Kacak5 Management

Humor for Program Managers

2009-09-21T15:21:00.003+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
Program Managers ability to reason through many different manufacturing & business issues was aided by the ability to relax under pressure and see the lighter side of life.

Humor can change the attitude of individuals and provide a healthy, productive atmosphere when used properly. Business situations, however, often lend themselves to humor that changes the way a person looks at the environment.

Humor in the work place can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of a program/business team when used appropriately and people can laugh at themselves. Humor can be used to defuse tense situations and to suggest correction to behavior that is counter to the team’s goals. Demeaning or vicious humor can, however, destroy the unity of a team and isolate individuals because of perceived criticism.

During a Business trip to China, one Chinese man humor to question the credentials of a woman in the company because of the manner in which she was conducting herself.
He stated, “Her resume says ‘doctor of philosophy,’ I think there is a mistake.”
I responded to the statement, “No, she has a Ph.D. in management science.”
The Chinese interpreter came back with the statement, “Oh no, I think that she is doctor of complexity.”
Of course we laughed, which meant that I agreed with him. Through humor, the Chinese interpreter and I had achieved a common understanding to criticize about this person’s competence.

Humor plays an important role in getting team members to relax and not dwell on the negative side of management challenges. A team member cannot laugh and still be angry or have negative feelings about what is happening. Obtaining a laugh should be a goal to change how a situation looks.

The Chinese are masters at criticism with humor, which causes the person to recognize the bad situation without losing face. In all cultures, perhaps, humor at the right time and right place can lead to better relationships among team members as long as the humor is not demeaning or off color.

Properly used humor can build on relationships in programs, smooth over rough edges, and promote productivity. The wrong type of humor, however, can work to the detriment of the project/program team by isolating an individual through criticism. Humor should not be used as a substitute for coaching or mentoring, but as a way of getting individuals to look at challenges through a different prism.

Kacak5 Management

10 Ways Program Management Change Your World

2009-09-18T08:00:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:-
"Good Program Managers know when not to manage a Program.
If there were no problem people there'd be no need for people who solve problems".
_________________________________________________________________

1. Set a personal and an organizational vision for long-term sustainable success because we tend to create what we focus on. Focus on failure, and that is what we will get. Focus on people, and even in turbulent times, we have a better chance of being able to make a huge difference.

2. Create our own "school" of what it is we need and want to learn so we can be and become an effective contributor to other people and to our organization's success. Seek out opportunities to do our own formal and informal learning. For example, you can take the Project Management Professional study.

3. Develop a “can do, we will prevail” attitude, and bring those around us up with our thirst for knowledge and your enviable Program Management capabilities.

4. Join the Program or Project Management Institute as an individual and as a corporate member. Participating in this professional trade association helps both individuals and corporations better self-identify with doing good Program Management and that, in and of itself, can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

5. Diversify and don't put all our eggs in one basket. This is true whether we are an individual relying on one industry or one company to meet all our financial needs or whether we are an organization that relies on one customer, or one product, to sustain our economic well-being.

6. Develop a safety net that will let us take appropriate risks in our career, and in our projects, so that we can weather whatever comes along. It’s just like the flight attendants tell us on their pre-flight safety instructions: "You need to secure your own mask before helping others".

7. Don't fall prey to those around us (and especially the media) with “the sky is falling” mentality. Do a risk management reality check on our projects and current events to develop our own risk management plan to handle the legitimate risks facing our life and our programs.

8. Create a change management plan for our life. When new opportunities arise (and sometimes these come disguised as difficulties), assess how these will impact us achieving our overall goals, and develop a strategy that incorporates change into our reality.

9. Drop commitments that are no longer serving us. We need to “cut bait” on the programs and commitments that are like the infamous bridge to nowhere. Look at these programs that are going nowhere and ask yourself, “If I had to make the decision today to start this project, would I?” If the answer is no, stop wasting our valuable resources on it.

10. Find the path of least resistance where we can make the biggest contribution for the least amount of effort. Every individual and organization has unique talents that when used effectively, in the right environments, can have significant impact. If something has become too
hard for us to do, maybe, just maybe, we should not be doing it. Seek out other opportunities where we can have more fun and make more of a difference. My personal motto is "What is meant to be, happens easily."

So, don’t buy into the Doomsday mentality. Use our Program Management skills to
make our own world and to make the most of every project, every day. It’s our time
to take center stage and be at the forefront of meeting the challenges in our life, at
work, at home or wherever we may find them.

Kacak5 Management

Genesis of Failure

2009-09-16T08:00:00.001+08:00

Program words of wisdom:

"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck".

_______________________________________________________________________________
Often times I was ask how this happen, and it's a very long story. For a child, we may start as "Once upon a time.....". To a working adult, we need another approach in the adult way. This is the consequence if there are communication roadblocks where we are strictly allow to communicate to our immediate superior only in the heirarchy.

In the beginning was THE PLAN.
And then came The Assumptions.
And The Plan was without substance.
And The Assumptions were without form.

And darkness was upon the face of the Workers.
And they spoke among themselves, saying,
"It is a crock of S H - T, it stinks."

And the workers went unto their Supervisors, and said,
"It is a pail of dung, and none may abide the odor thereof."

And the Supervisors went unto their Managers, saying
"It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong,
such that none may abide it."

And the Managers went unto their Directors, saying,
"It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength."

And the Directors spoke among themselves saying one to another, we have to clue-in nice words.
"It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."

And the Directors went to the Vice-Presidents, saying unto them,
"It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."

And the Sales Vice-Presidents went to the President, saying unto him,
"This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigor of the company, with powerful effects."

And the President looked upon The Plan, and saw that it was good.
And The Plan became POLICY.

And that is how S - - T happens."

Kacak5 Management

Contract Negotiation & Tactics for Program Managers

2009-09-13T18:01:00.003+08:00

Program Management words of wisdom:
"A verbal contract isn't worth the evidence it's written on".
____________________________________________________________________

In any relationship, business, or daily live we does negotiation. That includes buying food as we want the best, fastest & cheapest. Though I was an Engineering graduate, I had once worked for an Electronics Manufacturing company that assigned me to screen all the company's contracts and agreement for its main essence and facts in protecting the company's interest. This also requires close collaboration with the Drew & Napier law firm to review its legality and verbiages.

3 main things to achieve are as follows
1. Buyer and seller come to agreement
2. Develop good relationship with seller
3. Negotiate items can include:
a) Fair and reasonable price
b) responsibilities and authority
c) technical and management approaches
d) contract financing
e) schedule and payment plans.

To achieve the above objective, often time either one of negotiation tactics are deployed

a) Deadline: Imposing deadline to reach agreement

b) Surprise: Surprising the other party with new information

c) Limited authority: Claiming inability to decide

d) Strategic delays: Request for a recess to divert attention

e) Missing man: Claiming that the right person is not available

f) Fait accompli: Claiming that a topic of dispute has already been decided and is no longer an issue.

Please click this to see how we understand is often much different to what a customer needed.
<-What customer want->

Kacak5 Management.

Program manager desirable qualities and traits

2009-09-11T08:00:00.000+08:00

Leadership
Program managers should be able to communicate complex issues and help gain consensus through the various levels of organizations, whether internally or externally, in order to accomplish what needs be done.

Industry experience
Program managers should have experience working with OEM-contract manufacturing relationships. The program manager must understand OEM customer-related demands and have a keen sense for urgency.

Ability to read engineering schematics
Program managers should be able to read engineering drawings, technical documents, and schematics and, should be able to relate any important changes to engineering and other functional groups.

Materials and supply chain understanding
Program managers should understand how materials demand is driven; organized, and the systematic management of materials...relative to manufacturing. Understanding of supply chain manufacturing concepts; materials and enterprise resources planning, vendor-managed inventory (VMI) systems and, regional hub distributions is also important.

Conflict resolution capabilities
Program managers are the central focal point between the contract manufacturer and the OEM and program managers often find themselves as mediators, in between different functional groups. Program managers should be able to handle conflict. Understanding how to balance multiple customer demands, with multiple personalities, for multiple OEM customer programs can be complex and conflicts will surface.

'How' conflict is handled is extremely important to the health of the OEM and contract manufacturing relationship. And, with conflict comes criticism...program managers are most effective when they are able to not take criticism personally.

KACAK5 Management

15 Amazing Ways to Supercharge Your Business Success!

2009-09-09T08:00:00.001+08:00

Program Management words of wisdom:
Good control reveals problems early - which only means you'll have longer to worry about them.
___________________________________________________________________

8. Name your product or service. One of the best ways to differentiate your products or services from all the rest is to give them distinctive names. A building contractor with expertise in remodeling during off-hours calls himself the
"stealth" remodeler. A fuel oil dealer doesn't talk about service--he emphasizes "ComfortCare Service." The idea is to imbue ordinary ideas with new meaning thereby separating your com-pany from your competitors. Make sure, however, that the name appeals to your customers and not just to you.

9. Be relentless. Persistence is power in marketing and sales. Far too many firms fail in their efforts because they don't follow through long enough to produce proper results. Marketing momentum comes from a consistent effort. Once you start a newsletter, issue it on schedule. It takes time for customers to comprehend what you are doing and for prospects to get acquainted--and comfortable--with a business.

10. Get rid of the self-serving nonsense. Most company publications, ads, letters, brochures, and other sales materials are filled with words, photographs and information that do nothing more than toot the company's horn. No one cares that the
business says it is the "best," "oldest" or the "biggest." Pictures of the staff are only interesting to the staff. A better approach is to ask prospects what they want to know about your company. We doubt anyone will be anxious to see pictures of the CEO, chairman of the board or the executive vice president.

11. Tell them everything you know. Spill the beans, so to speak. Since today's customers want information, knowledge and helpful ideas, do everything you can to share everything you know. This is the only way to become a valued resource to your customers. When people use your ideas, they will buy what you sell.

12. Be generous. No one wants to do business with firms operating on a one-way street. Buy a new car and the dealer hands you a 20-cent plastic key holder! It sends a message that this dealer doesn't under-stand his customers. You may forget the car, but you will never forget the lousy key ring! Another auto dealer delivers the new car to your office. What a difference. This dealer sends a powerful message--our customers are important.

13. Make prospect identification your mission. The single most important daily activity in any business is prospect identification. By making prospecting a continuing process, companies produce a steady flow of new sales leads. They never stop asking, "Who do we want to do business with if we have the chance?" Then make sure all prospects are entered into a database so they can be cultivated over a period of time.

14. Scrutinize your corporate identity. Yes, how a company presents itself makes a difference. Is the logo appropriate? Is it dated? Does it communicate the right message and the correct image? Is the president the only one who understands it? What about the company colors? Are they reminiscent of the late '50s? Do the letterhead, mailing labels and business cards convey a strong, positive message? Or, are they dull and ordinary looking? If you don't think this is important, your competitors will be thrilled. Corporate identity is the face you put on your company.

15. Write customer-centered letters. Most business letters have cold, impersonal words. "As per our conversation..." "Pursuant to our agreement..." When was the last time you heard anyone talk this way at lunch (other than perhaps a lawyer)? Yet, give the same executives a pen and they become stilted. There is no reason why
business letters should not be warm, friendly, conversational, interesting--and customer-centered. Write as if you were the one reading it. Should a letter end at the bottom of the first page? Yes, if that's what it takes to tell the story? But it may take two, four or six pages. A letter should be as long as necessary
and always interesting to the reader.

There you have it! 15 ways you can use to super-charge your
business right now.

KACAK5 Management

Types of Program Managers; which one are you?

2009-09-07T15:01:00.000+08:00

1. If you get in my way, I'll kill you! - ideal Program manager

2. If you get in my way, you'll kill me! - somewhat less than ideal Program manager

3. If I get in my way, I'll kill you! - somewhat misguided Program manager

4. If I get in your way, I'll kill you! - A tough Program manager (eats glass, live cats, etc.)

5. If get kill in will way I you. - dyslexic, functionally illiterate Program manager

6. I am the way! Kill me if you can! - messianic Program manager

7. Get away, I'll kill us all! - suicidal Program manager

8. If you kill me, I'll get in your way. - thoughtful but ineffective Program manager

9. If I kill you I'll get in your way. - Program manager who has trouble dealing with the obvious

10. If a you getta ina my way, I gonna breaka you arm. - Program manager from New York

11. I am quite confident that there is nothing in the way, so no one will get killed. - Program manager who is about to get in big trouble

12. If you kill me, so what? If you get in my way, who cares? - weak, uninspired, lackluster Program manager

13. If I kill me, you'll get your way. - pragmatic Program manager

14. If we get in each other's way, who will get killed? - An utterly confused manager

15. Don't kill me, please follow my only ideal way. - every Program manager to date likes.

KACAK5 Management

A Day in the Life of an EMS Program Manager

2009-09-04T08:07:00.001+08:00

A Program Manager (PM) arrives at work in an Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) company at 8:15 am. Before he even gets his coat off, he takes a phone call from an angry customer (12 hours difference across the globe) whose new assemblies do not work. After calming her down and convincing her to let him fix the problem, PM calls an emergency meeting with the staffs of Production, Engineering and Quality Control to go over the process and determine what went wrong. Next, he figures with Production Planner out how to adjust the production schedule so that he can refill the order as soon possible, but still meet his other obligations on time. He also figures out how much the reproduction will cost.

Later that morning, he meets with the Program Director to review the sales plan for the next quarter.

For lunch, he meets with another customer who needs to change out semiconductors on an existing order. During the conversation, he is asked to explain if and how the change will affect delivery and pricing. Upon returning from lunch, he examines his purchase orders and existing inventory of semiconductors to determine what he will need in order to fulfill the customer's requested change.

Next, he sits down with the heads of the Production Department and Quality Control to resolve a dispute as to why a certain assembly has not been released for shipment. PM's last task before he leaves is to call back across the globe the angry customer from the morning and give her a status report on her replacement order. Usually, a PM's work for the day end about 9:00pm.

What was the most important skills an EMS Program Manager need to make it through the day? Is it customer service skills, to help save a business relationship? Or is it technical expertise, needed to determine why the assemblies had failed? Or is it the ability to juggle the production schedules and still meet company obligations? Or is it financial aptitude to estimate the impact of changing semiconductors? How about managerial skills, which helped the manager take charge and direct teams? Don't forget problem solving skills, which are needed to find solutions to numerous challenges.

The answer is obvious. All of these skills need to be woven together in the course of the day as an EMS Program Manager. Program management is based on the concept of providing centralized management authority over all business and technical aspects of a project. By definition, the EMS Program Manager is multi-functional.

KACAK5 Management

15 Amazing Ways to Supercharge Your Business Success!

2009-09-02T22:01:00.001+08:00

Program Management words of wisdom:

* Entrepreneurial leaders do not have a mindset that adapts to failure.
* Realize that you will make mistakes, so make them as quickly as you can in order to learn from them.
* As a leader, you have to set standards and higher standards for your own behavior.
=================================================

The following are the "15 Best" ideas for super charging your business, no matter what kind of business you are in.

1. "Same-Old" is out -- Getting attention with something new is in. To get new business, you must strive to be innovative and dramatic.
For example,
an insurance agency, offered "the biggest steak dinner in town" if it couldn't save any person money on their car insurance. This challenge was enough to make the telephone start ringing off the hook for days at a time. The customer flow was "absolutely crazy" for days. The bottom line: dozens of new insurance buyers and tons of new cash flow -- and all they had to do was fork out the cost for a half dozen steak dinners!

2. Tight target marketing. The big job in marketing and sales is getting to the right people inside another company. Addressing mail to "Facilities Manager" or printing a "routing slip" on the outside of the envelope is ineffective. Hitting the target is the challenge. Scoring a bull's eye means making contact with the right individuals and is the only way to make the sale. Taking time to be highly targeted in business communication is essential.

3. Be more creative. Pushing direct-mail pieces out the door or sending the newsletter to the mail room isn't doing the job. Ask yourself: "Will anyone be intrigued enough to read the mailer--before tossing it in the wastebasket?"
Ask the same question about the company newsletter. A highly creative approach is necessary to be different and
distinctive. Creativity costs money. But, if more people read the ad, take time with the newsletter or decide that
the offer in a mailer makes sense, you have accomplished the goal.

4. Focus on what customers care about. After listening to the admissions director talk about what should be shown in the school's new recruiting video, the marketing consultant asked, "Is this what parents and prospective students are interested in knowing?" Suddenly, everyone became less confident. Someone suggested asking the student tour guides what questions the visiting parents and kids asked? Whether creating an ad, a brochure, or a sales presentation, knowing what the customer wants, needs and expects is what works.

5. Tell customers how to think about your company. We come to conclusions by making comparisons. If you don't let customers and prospects know why it is in their best interests to do business with you or buy your product, they won't. The rating of life insurance companies makes an impact on customers. The J.D. Powers' customer-satisfaction survey on cars and personal computer manufacturers influences buying behavior. Wise companies spend time and effort consciously influencing the way they are perceived by customers, prospects, bankers and stockholders.

6. Make your offers outstanding. Customers are cautious. They don't like being put on the spot; they don't want to make a mistake. This is why offers are essential. "Try it for 30 days...free." "We won't deposit your credit card slip for a month." "Your satisfaction is guaranteed." "Take the car for the weekend and drive it all you want." The goal is to overcome the customer's reluctance.

7. Be in the right place at the right time. "Why didn't I think of you last week when we bought the new..." Some salespeople simply shrug off such comments. Oh, well. I can't be in the right place every time." Wrong. Being in front of the customer is today's assignment. Developing a consistent program for staying in front of customers regularly is the challenge. A mix of seminars, newsletters, bulletins, fact sheets, special events and informative articles will keep you in the customers' minds.

Ponder these tips for a week, and next week I'll give you the remaining 8. Your business should shine after that!

KACAK5 Management

What Backgrounds Build the Best Program Manager

2009-08-25T18:01:00.001+08:00

One of the most difficult people to replace in an Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) company is a Program Manager(PM). Different EMS companies have different PM models, there is no one right answer to what they consider important in program management.

Six execs give their takes
• Henry Protzel, Project Support Manager, WKK America (Holdings) Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA).
• Leo Reynolds, Vice Chairman, Electronics Systems Inc. (Sioux Falls, SD).
• Renee Rocca, Program Director, Hunter Technology (Santa Clara, CA).
• Lynn Cuperus, director operations, Goodrich Corp. (Albuquerque, NM).
• Tan Ka Huat, Managing Director, CEI Contract Manufacturing Ltd. (Singapore).
• Elliot L. Shev, Sr. VP Sales and Marketing, SMS Technologies Inc. (San Diego).

What is your vision of the PM's role in terms of customer support and project management within your company?
Protzel: The PM is usually the sole contact for the customer. A PM's expertise in handling a project often defines the way customers perceive the support they are receiving. Strong support leads to a happy customer. Resulting in more business.
PMs need to know the company inside and out, understand available resources as well as limitations within their company. They should also know the same of the individuals within the departments and know resources and limitations of the company's material suppliers.
The ability to negotiate through the different departments to get the job done in their favor tactfully. They should have a strong technical background, while not an Engineer graduate, ability to see the macro view of a project and a working knowledge of how it all falls into place and be able to act on a moment's notice and change channels just as fast.
Reynolds: PMs perform the single most defining role in an EMS company. The EMS business is all about understanding and managing customer expectations. The PM has to understand the technical, business and relationship issues to manage the expectations and then translate those expectations for the EMS company in a way that produces good outcomes. Ultimately, program management is a relationship-building endeavor.
Rocca: PMs will manage business orders from beginning to end. Without planners at Hunter, the PM must status material as it is purchased and have NPI meetings with engineers and production to go over how we plan to build the product. A key skill is maintaining good customer communication and monitoring daily schedules. When it is production ready, the PM must be sure assembly packages are complete and correct. After production the PM needs to feed to the customer any manufacturability issues for future builds.
Cuperus: A PM needs to be a strong interface and a business development front person. When new product development is involved, a PM must keep the design on track, the one thing that [can] derail programs quickly.
Tan: PM is the business management person with arguably the most important function to implement: customer relationship management. This includes providing seamless customer care, encompassing the customer's demand and forecast management, materials and production activities coordination, quality/reliability and delivery fulfillment support, non-business/social interactions with the customers and anything else required. PM are most likely to be groomed into a general management function as the future leader of an EMS company.
Shev: The PM is the key customer interface and the lead for the product team which, in addition, consists of a quality engineer, mechanical engineer and production control.

Can you describe an example where either a strong technical background or business background helped you or your PM better address customer issues?
Protzel: I was prepared to be sent to a customer on a moment's notice regarding invoices. That meeting was underway 15 minutes when the QC department manager walked in. Next thing you know, I was out on their production line for three hours reviewing process improvement issues. By the time I returned home he had sent an email in recognition of my support in answering his questions, copying my team as well as his.
Reynolds: Recently, a newer customer asked us to take over a major program in the middle of a run from a competitor that turned hostile to both our customer and our people that were sent in to pull inventory and tooling. Our customer related that they appreciated our PM's (and his team's) professionalism in handling a very difficult situation. This exemplifies one of the major skills required by PMs: handling unexpected and difficult situations correctly, or in simpler terms the ability to think on your feet.
Rocca: Knowing the business is the main thing. I have very bright people reporting but couldn't understand the technical side of our business. Capable PM knows what customers are talking about, come up with creative ideas to get difficult programs through the manufacturing process and keep good communication with customers.
Cuperus: On space hardware, the engineering background has frequently prevented us from agreeing to a scope change or technical requirement that would derail delivery of compliant hardware. Lack of business background, on the other hand, has cost us margin or profitability when scope changes become science experiments and the engineering nature would take over (the Jekyll/Hyde phenomenon).
Tan: We have several cases that involved the need to be physically present to help in diagnosis of technical issues that were either process or electrical test related. A PM with strong technical background traveled within 48 hours' notice without bringing a team of engineers or technicians. The PM could confidently relate to the customer technical staff to review and discuss the problems, and come to a decision stage. Where it involved phone calls or remote interactions, this technically strong staff member could discuss in a 24/7 fashion with much less need to adjourn the session for consultation with other staff. Staff members with technical backgrounds can pick up business skills much more readily than staff members with business backgrounds can pick up technical knowledge.
Shev: PMs faces mostly technical issues. They deal with issues that concern documentation, parts, production and test. A good understanding really helps to deal with the everyday issues that come up. From a business side, street smarts are the best skill to have. Preparing a quote is mostly by rote and predefined algorithms; knowing when to deviate is gut level, not something taught in school.

Common Ingredient
Throughout the responses a key theme was that PMs are often the "face" of the EMS provider and as such required people skills which included the ability to think on their feet, communicate clearly, negotiate well and maintain organization within the programs they managed. The degree to which a pure technical or business background is required is often driven by the breadth of support staff available and the PM's primary role in a given project. All respondents valued prior EMS experience over formal education, which reflects the specialized nature of program management within this industry.

KACAK5 Management

Streetsmart or booksmart.

2009-08-25T16:04:00.002+08:00

Program Management words of wisdom
1. A verbal contract isn't worth the evidence it's written on.
2. What is not on paper has not been said.
3. If you fail to plan you are planning to fail.
_____________________________________________________________________

A big city lawyer went duck hunting in rural North Cowra . He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer's field on the other side of a fence.

As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing. The litigator responded, "I shot a duck and it fell in this field, and now I'm going to retrieve it."

The old farmer Peter replied, "This is my property, and you are not coming over here."

The indignant lawyer said, "I am one of the best trial lawyers in Australia and, if you don't let me get that duck, I'll sue you and take everything you own."

The old farmer smiled and said, "Apparently, you don't know how we settle disputes in North Cowra . We settle small disagreements like this with the 'Three Kick Rule'.

The lawyer asked, "What is the 'Three Kick Rule'?"

The Farmer replied, "Well, because the dispute occurs on my land, I get to go first. I kick you three times and then you kick me three times and so on back and forth until someone gives up."

The lawyer quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old codger. He agreed to abide by the local custom.

The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the attorney. His first kick planted the toe of his heavy steel-toed work boot into the lawyer's groin and dropped him to his knees!
His second kick to the midriff sent the lawyer's last meal gushing from his mouth. The lawyer was on all fours when the farmer's third kick to his rear end, sent him face-first into a fresh cow pie.

Summoning every bit of his will and remaining strength the lawyer very slowly managed to get to his feet. Wiping his face with the arm of his jacket, he said, "Okay, you old fart. Now it's my turn."

(I love this part)

The old farmer smiled and said, "Nah, I give up. You can have the duck."

When you are educated, you'll believe only half of what you hear.
When you're street-smart, you'll know which half.

KACAK5 Management

The Seed

2009-08-24T17:11:00.001+08:00

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, 'It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. 'The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. 'I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.'

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room.

When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful --in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. 'My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,' said the CEO. 'Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!'All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot.

He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, 'The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired! 'When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim,and then announced to the young executives, 'Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!'

Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.'How could he be the new CEO?' the others said. Then the CEO said, 'One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!'

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
* If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.'Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back'

Kacak5 Management

Golf :- solved by a Program Manager's way!

2009-08-21T21:48:00.001+08:00

“Through humour and knowledge resources, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers, and once you find laughter and insight, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can still survive it.”:- Albert Ho
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Clergyman, a Doctor and a Program manager were playing golf together one day and were waiting for a particularly slow group ahead.

The Program manager exclaimed,"What's with these people? We've been waiting over half and hour! It's a complete disgrace to be behind schedule."

The doctor agreed, "They're hopeless, I've never seen such a rabble on a golf course."

The clergyman spotted the approaching green keeper and asked him what was going on, "What's happening with that group ahead of us? They're surely too slow and useless to be playing, aren't they?"

The green keeper replied, "Oh, yes, that's a group of blind fire-fighters. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime."

The three golfers fell silent for a moment. The clergyman said, "Oh dear, that's so sad. I shall say some special prayers for them tonight." The doctor added, rather meekly, "That's a good thought. I'll get in touch with an ophthalmic surgeon friend of mine to see if there's anything that can be done for them."

After pondering the situation for a few seconds, the Program manager turned to the green keeper and asked, "Why can't they play at night?"

KACAK5 Management

Five Minutes Program Management reality

2009-08-18T09:56:00.004+08:00

Lesson 1:

A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings.

The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs.

When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the smelly drunken next-door neighbour.

Before she says a word, Bob says, 'I'll give you $800 to kiss me goodnight.'

After thinking for a moment, the woman kissed Bob, after a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.

The woman cleans her beer smelling mouth and goes back upstairs.

When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, 'Who was that?'

'It was Bob the next door neighbour,' she replies.

'Great,' the husband says, 'did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?'

Moral of the story:

If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

Lesson 2:

A priest offered a Nun a lift.

She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg.

The priest nearly had an accident.

After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand to help her fasten the seat belt.

The nun said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'

The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand touch the seat belt again.
The nun once again said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'

The priest apologized 'Sorry sister but the flesh is weak.'

Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way.

On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129 It said, 'Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory.'

Moral of the story:
If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.

Lesson 3:

A Production Planner, a Buyer, and the Program manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp.

They rub it and a Genie comes out.
The Genie says, 'I'll give each of you just one wish.'
'Me first! Me first!' says the Buyer. 'I want to be in the Bahamas , driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.'
Puff! She's gone.

'Me next! Me next!' says the Production Planner. 'I want to be in Hawaii , relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.'

Puff! He's gone.

'OK, you're up,' the Genie says to the Program Manager.
The manager says, 'I want those two back in the office after lunch.'

Moral of the story:
Always let your boss have the first say.

Lesson 4

An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.

A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, 'Can I also sit like you and do nothing?' The eagle answered: 'Sure, why not.'

So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Lesson 5

A turkey was chatting with a bull.

'I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree' sighed the turkey, 'but I haven't got the energy.'
'Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?' replied the bull. They're packed with nutrients.'

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.

The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.

Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree

He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story:
Bull Sh*t might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there..

Lesson 6

A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.

While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him.

As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was.

The dung was actually thawing him out!

He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate.

Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Morals of the story:
(1) Not everyone who sh*ts on you is your enemy.

(2) Not everyone who gets you out of sh*t is your
friend.

(3) And when you're in deep sh*t, it's best to keep
your mouth shut!

THUS ENDS THE FIVE MINUTE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT COURSE

KACAK5 Management

Management Leadership

2009-08-18T09:56:00.001+08:00

What Matters Most?
Technical competency is not the most important skill for a Program Manager. Neither
is building a good schedule, nor monitoring issues and tracking down open action
items. I can’t overstate the importance of EFFECTIVE leadership skills for a Program Manager.
Eight of the top nine characteristics are aspects of managing relationships or leading. Technical competence is the lone exception on the list.

Characteristics of Effective Program Managers by ranking
1. Leads by example
2. Visionary
3. Technically competent
4. Decisive
5. Good communicator
6. Good motivator
7. Stands up to upper management when necessary
8. Supportive of team members
9. Encourages new ideas

Poor leadership is often a cause of Program failure, and they conclude that Program Managers must combine technical competency with the ability to lead. I agree.
The more responsibility a Program Manager has, the more crucial leadership skills are to his or her success.

What Is Leadership, Anyway?
I would says, “Leadership is difficult to define but critical to Program success.”
Management studies defines leadership as inspiring and guiding,
which includes these four aspects:
1. Articulating and arousing enthusiasm for a shared mission and vision
2. Stepping forward to lead as needed, regardless of position
3. Guiding the performance of others while holding them accountable
4. Leading by example

Leadership vs. Management
Management expert Peter Drucker says,
“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Leading
focuses on guiding and inspiring; managing involves organizing and effectiveness.
Effective Program Managers must be good at both to be able to deal with the fast pace
and complexity of modern Programs. Below, I’ve listed important aspects of leadership
and management to show how they complement each other.

Leadership Skills on a Program
1. Articulate a program vision and build enthusiasm for it.
2. Empower and guide the program team
3. Build relationships to communicate, motivate, and influence
4. Create a positive team environment that helps the team:
• Navigate change
• Take prudent risks
• Listen well, work together, and respect each other
• Create an identity and take healthy pride in its work

Management Skills on a Program
1. Keep the program aligned with business strategy, and with customers and users
2. Acquire and coordinate people and resources needed by program
3. Use appropriate project management tools and processes
4. Plan, monitor, and steer the project work, including schedule and budget
5. Manage risks

Take Action
We do know “Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.” Take action now by trying one of the following ideas.
Get healthy. A leader is nothing without a team. Creating a healthy team environment should be near the top of your priority list. Take the time out of your busy schedule to attend to the health of the team.
• Foster an environment that embraces learning, a willingness to take prudent risks, and a unique team identity.
• Recognize and support individual team members, treating them with respect. Stand up for them – the workplace can be brutal - and don’t work them to the point of burnt out
Cast a vision. Maintain a constant and clear focus on the desired outcome of the Program and the path to get there. Seeing the vision allows the Program team to focus on day-to-day activities, knowing that they are in alignment and that their individual work
will come together to make something great.
Walk the talk. Demonstrate follow-through yourself. Then give team members the support they need to deliver on their responsibilities, and hold them accountable.
Empower others. Accomplish results through the Program team rather than doing everything yourself. Leaders learn to discern when to lead the charge personally and when to delegate and then get out of the way.
Show enthusiasm! Even during those times when your personal energy has ebbed, keep the team focused and moving forward.
Remember, “The energy, attitude, and commitment of the team rarely rise above those of the leader.”

Endpoint
Program Managers face a high standard – being both a good leader and a skillful Manager. Even very experienced Program Managers have room to improve. Therefore, I challenge you to pick just one aspect of your Program leadership to improve now. When you’ve made progress on that aspect, advance to another. That first small step will start you on a rewarding, career-long journey of continuous improvement as a leader.

Casting the assignment Objective
A traveler in medieval France was walking down a road at noon when he encountered
a man chiseling a large stone. “What are you doing?” the traveler asked. The stonemason replied, “I am preparing this stone to go into a wall.” His question answered, the traveler moved on. Around the next bend in the road, he saw another
worker chiseling a stone. Again the traveler asked, “What are you doing?” The second stonemason proudly replied, “Sir, this stone will fit into the north wall of a new cathedral.” Snapping almost to attention, he continued, “I am building a cathedral to the glory of God!” The two stonemasons were doing the same work, but gave very different replies. Who cast the more compelling assignment objective?
“ The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision and objective.”

KACAK5 Management

A Focused Program Manager

2009-08-12T13:25:00.000+08:00

A Program manager, hardware engineer and software engineer were in a car heading down a hill when the brakes failed. The driver managed to get it stopped by using the gears and a convenient dirt track.

All three jumped out and after peering under the car the hardware engineer said, "I see what the problem is and technically with this handy roll of duct tape I think I can fix it good enough to get us to the next town".

At which point the software engineer said, "You know what, I think we should re-boot by pushing the car back up to the top of the hill and see if it happens again".

The Program manager quickly interrupted, "No, no, no. Before we do anything we need to decide on a Gantt Chart vision for our future, figure out a plan and assign individual deliverables".

KACAK5 Management

The Genie

2009-08-12T13:22:00.000+08:00

Program Management words of wisdom:-
"Through humour, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers, and once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can still survive it.” - Albert Ho 2009

__________________________________________________________________________________

Three men: a Program manager, a Planner, and a Buyer are helping out on a program. About midweek they decide to walk up and down the beach during their lunch hour. Halfway up the beach, they stumbled upon a lamp. As they rub the lamp a genie appears and says "Normally I would grant you three wishes, but since there are three of you, I will grant you each one wish."

The Planner went first. "I would like to spend the rest of my life living in a huge house in St. Thomas with no money worries." The genie granted him his wish and sent him on off to St. Thomas.

The Buyer went next. "I would like to spend the rest of my life living on a huge yacht cruising the Mediterranean with no money worries." The genie granted him his wish and sent him off to the Mediterranean.

Last, but not least, it was the Program manager's turn. "And what would your wish be?" asked the genie. "I want them both back after lunch otherwise my program will screw-up" replied the Program manager.

KACAK5 Management

Fifteen Simple, Everyday Habits to Help You

2009-08-07T11:20:00.001+08:00

If you’ve ever longed for greatness, it’s not too late. Here are some secrets for
propelling yourself out of a life of mediocrity—and they’re not what you think they are.

When you hear the word “greatness,” certain people probably spring to mind: Michael
Jordan, Albert Einstein, Obama. Think a bit harder and you’ll realize you know a few
real-life “greats” as well. Perhaps your officemate is a management whiz or a teacher at your child’s school is a genius at inspiring kids. Heck, maybe you have some hidden talent, too. If only you’d been born with that elusive “greatness gene” or raised by superachieving parents or accepted to an Ivy League college, your life would be soooo much better…right?
Wrong. Greatness has far less to do with that “one special thing” about a person than it does about his or her day-in-and-day-out habits and his or her character as a whole.
Most people think that there is some silver bullet to being great. And while it’s true that certain circumstances may give you a leg up in life, they don’t determine greatness. Your own actions do. Greatness is really about doing the ordinary, everyday things consistently well.
In other words, no matter what your past (or even your present) looks like, you have
the ability to achieve greatness—starting now. You just need to hone in on the small things you do every day—those tasks and chores that may seem trivial and unimportant—and start doing them well, all the time.

Walk your talk.
Is there an intersection between what you say matters to you and what you actually do? There should be. If you swear up and down that nothing is more important than family, but you miss every ball game or dance recital, your actions will speak louder than your words. Or if you make a grand pronouncement about living frugally but run out and buy a flashy new car the minute your neighbor does, no one will take you seriously. Nothing is more irritating than a hypocrite. It’s the opposite of greatness.

If you make a promise, keep it.
Sounds obvious, yes? Actually, it’s rarer than you think. We all know someone who makes big promises and announces lofty goals to their colleagues and friends, only to let them fall by the wayside. The secret is to make only commitments that are manageable and realistic and keep them—consistently. While saying you’ll deliver the big project first thing tomorrow (instead of 5:00 on Friday, which is what will actually happen) sounds good at the onset, your hero status will quickly falter when you can’t come through as promised. Think about it like this: While a homerun every once in a while is great, a solid base hitter is someone you can depend on. When you’re tempted to make a promise, think realistically about whether you can keep it. If you’re not sure, keep your mouth shut.

Do sweat the small stuff. (Or at least pay attention to it.)
With jam-packed schedules and busy days, it’s easy to let the little things escape your notice. But it’s those tiny details that can set you apart from the rest. Pay close attention in meetings and interactions with others and keep thorough notes on things that will be important later: Does your client have a food allergy he mentioned in passing? Remembering this tidbit for future dinner meetings shows
him you can be trusted with detail-intensive projects. Is your boss a morning person? If you’ve noticed she’s more productive in the early hours, you can plan your interactions around her schedule, getting more work done more efficiently and improving your relationship.

Plan for the worst.
It may seem a bit “doom and gloom,” but it will save you in a pinch every single time. Even if things go according to plan 99 percent of the time, it’s that other 1
percent that can really get you into trouble. Let’s say you’re working on a big project with a tight deadline. Carefully think through any obstacles that might arise and lay the groundwork for solutions, in advance. When trouble strikes, you’ll be prepared and your work won’t suffer—a true sign of greatness.
No matter how good your work has been in the past, you are only as good as your last
mistake. So think like a Boy Scout and be prepared. And if everything does go smoothly, you can enjoy being pleasantly surprised.

Align yourself with the other “greats” in your life.
Once you understand how ordinary greatness works, and how to recognize it in yourself, you’ll begin to notice glimmers of greatness in others around you. Team up with these people. Cultivate relationships with them. And it may go without saying, but be sure not to strongly also disassociate yourself from the not-so-greats who surround you. Two heads are better than one, but two great heads are phenomenal. Three, or more, are even better. You’ll find that you are much happier partnering with people who consistently build you up and keep you energized. Having teammates with like values keeps you accountable and makes your ordinary greatness extraordinary.

Always act as if someone is watching you.
It may sound like the same warning you give your kids before school, but it applies to you, too. Work every day—in your personal life as well as at your job—as though your boss were standing beside you taking notes for your evaluation. In other words, use your time wisely, meet deadlines, and don’t cut corners. You’ll be less likely to make mistakes and more likely to pick up good working habits and life skills. Your efficiency and diligence will be noticed by others—and not just at your quarterly review.

Surround yourself with people who don’t think like you.
When you meet someone who shares the same interests and ideals as you, it’s easy to become fast friends. But do those people really help you to grow in the long run? Challenge yourself to make friends and acquaintances with the people who are going to challenge you. Forming friendships with nearclones of you nurtures the person you are rather than the person you can become. Great people are able to look at the world from perspectives other than their own. That doesn’t mean they lose their own convictions; it just means they expand their field of vision. There are many rich life lessons to be learned from people who are completely different from
you.

Be known for your integrity.
Our mother was right: Honesty is the best policy. Integrity may mean owning up to a mistake or admitting a failure, but it also means the people around you can depend on you for transparency. And that goes a long way in the business world. Even when you do make mistakes, people are willing to overlook them to work with someone they know will be honest and do the right thing. Think about the “greats” throughout history and try to name one who wasn’t also a person known for his or her integrity. Coming up empty? There’s a reason!

Know when to ask for help.
Being great doesn’t mean that you have all the answers all the
time (just ask any parent!). Take the president of the United States for example: Even the leader of the free world works with experts and advisors every day before making important decisions. A big part of greatness is recognizing it in others, and knowing when their expertise is more efficient than your own. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of intelligence. It’s also a powerful tool to have in your arsenal. You’ll be able to guarantee that you can always get the job done—no
matter what your own personal level of expertise may be.

Read at least six books a year.
Sound like homework? It doesn’t have to be! Start each year by making a list of books you want to read. And if you’re not a big reader, don’t worry—pace yourself! Pick six books from all different genres and topics (and maybe slip in a fun read or
two!) including a few that you wouldn’t normally think of choosing. By the end of the year you will have expanded your horizons—you will have learned about new topics, considered differing points of view, and perhaps even developed a palette for a new writing style. Books are a great way to open yourself up to new experiences from the comfort and safety of your own home. They also help you remove the blinders you may not even know you are wearing and serve as conversation starters for meeting new people!

Keep your curious spirit.
As children, we were curious about everything in the world around us: How do things work? Why do people act a certain way? Where do things come from and how are they made? Our interest in the world around us made us great observers and spurred
the questions that grew into the knowledge we have as adults. We should hold on to our curious nature. The minute you think you know it all is the minute you close the door on your pursuit of greatness.
The more we pay attention to our surroundings and the more we increase our knowledge, the better our chances for greatness. Be an insatiable student of life.

Shape your life around your passions.
The reason is simple: When you’re passionate about something, your devotion can lead to a lifetime of dedication and practice that makes you the expert in a given field. Without that deep well of emotion to draw from, you’re unlikely to get very far. It’s pretty tough to build a great career in a profession that you feel ho-hum about. Many people try, but they usually fail. And don’t underestimate the importance of having people and interests in your life that you feel passionate about. They infuse you with energy that keeps you going when you have a rough patch in your career.

Talk to strangers.
It may seem odd, and yes, a little awkward, but talking to strangers is a great way to expose yourself to the ordinary greatness around you. The next time you are in
line at the grocery store, sitting in the airport terminal, or out walking the dog at the park, take the time to talk to someone you don’t know. You never know when you may meet someone extraordinary, and by not taking the chance to meet new people, you are passing up greatness every day!
You may be amazed at the people you will meet and the new things you will learn if you just let down your guard and say hi to the person sitting next to you. It could be anyone from a rocket scientist to a CEO to an archaeologist. Think of the connections you can make and the new things you can learn just by taking the time to get to know someone new.

Be a risk taker.
Imagine all of the things we would be living without if it weren’t forrisktakers: electricity, airplanes, even the Internet! Taking the easy route is safe, sure, but it rarely leads to greatness. Success isn’t easy, and it’s not going to come to you while you’re sitting idly at your desk. So get out there—go against the grain—you could be behind the next great discovery of something we can’t live without!
What if Benjamin Franklin had decided he wouldn’t fly his kite in the storm because it was too dangerous? Do the things that make your spine tingle and your heart race. Those are the things that are worth doing.

Practice the fine art of humility.
There’s one in every office…or family…or team. You know, the guy who likes to toot his own horn? How about the coworker who announces every sale she makes? Aside from being a little on the annoying side, her insistence on pointing out her achievements may also be a clue into her overall character. Not only does it signal low self-esteem, it may well indicate that she doesn’t have many other impressive achievements
under her belt. Ordinary greatness often goes unnoticed because the person doesn’t feel the need to broadcast her talents. Not only is humility an attractive quality in a person, it’s also a pretty good indicator into the type of person he or she is. Strive to do great work consistently and let your talents and actions speak for themselves.

Greatness is about being extraordinary in ordinary circumstances. It’s the mother of four who is always on time, the employee who gets his work done by the deadline, the friend who anticipates your needs before you do yourself. It’s about doing the small stuff, especially when nobody else wants to, and doing it well. Embrace this philosophy and in the end you’ll be like the proverbial tortoise who wins the race while those flashy, boastful hares sleep through life’s big moments of truth.

KACAK5 Management

Talking about school…

2009-08-06T21:01:00.000+08:00

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1 : Life is not fair – get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world doesn’t care about your Self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won’t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6 : If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault , so don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.

If you agree, please inform others.
If you can read this -Thank a teacher!

KACAK5 Management

Embracing Imperfection

2009-08-03T21:52:00.000+08:00

A story by a girl.

"When I was a little girl, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.

On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned toast in front of my dad.

I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my mom, and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologized to my dad for burning the toast. And I'll never forget what he said: 'Baby, I love burned toast.'

Later that night, I went to kiss daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, 'Debbie, your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides-a little burnt toast never hurt anyone!'You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best housekeeper or cook.'

What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of GOD. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where burnt toast isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact - as understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!! "

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket but into your own."

See through God's eyes and feel through God's heart And you will appreciate the value of every soul including yourself.

Jesus loves you.

KACAK5 Management

Brain Teasers

2009-07-31T21:35:00.000+08:00

1.A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms: The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him?

2.A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?

3.A magician was boasting one day at how long he could hold his breath under water. His record was 6 minutes. A kid that was listening said, "that's nothing, I can stay under water for 10 minutes using no type of equipment or air pockets!" The magician told the kid if he could do that, he'd give him $10,000. The kid did it and won the money. Can you figure out how?

4.There are two plastic jugs filled with water. How could you put all of this water into a barrel, without using the jugs or any dividers, and still tell which water came from which jug?

5.What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and grey when you throw it away?

6.Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?

7.This is an unusual paragraph. I'm curious how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so plain you would think nothing was wrong with it! In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is unusual though. Study it, and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out! Try to do so without any coaching!

8.You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?

9.If you overtake the last person, then you are...?

10.(in your head!) Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30. Add another 1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000. Now add 10. What is the total?
11. Mary's father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono. What is the name of the fifth youngest daughter?

Now how many could you answer?

Scroll down for answers:-

ANSWERS:

1.The third. Lions that haven't eaten in three years are dead.

2.The woman was a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, and hung it up to dry.

3.The kid filled a glass of water and held it over his head for 10 minutes.

4.Colour and Freeze them first. Take them out of the jugs and put the ice in the barrel. You will be able to tell which water came from which jug.

5.The answer is Charcoal. In Homer Simpson's words: hmmmm... Barbecue.

6.Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

7.The letter "e", which is the most common letter in the English language, does not appear once in the long paragraph

8.If you answer that you are first, then you are absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second!

9.If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again. Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST person?!

10.Did you get 5000? The correct answer is actually 4100. Don't believe it? Check with your calculator!

11.Nunu? NO! Of course not. The fifth daughter is Mary. Read the question again.

KACAK5 Management

A Hard Language - English

2009-07-31T21:29:00.000+08:00

Reasons why the English language is so hard to learn:

1.The bandage was wound around the wound.
2.The farm was used to produce produce.
3.The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4.We must polish the Polish furniture.
5.He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6.The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7.Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8.A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9.When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10.I did not object to the object.
11.The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12.There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13.They were too close to the door to close it.
14.The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15.A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16.To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17.The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18.After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19.Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20.I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
21.How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language.
1.There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
2.English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.
3.Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.
4.We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that:
1.quicksand can work slowly,
2.boxing rings are square and
3.a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig,
4.writers write but fingers don't fing, and
5.grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?
5.If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth?
6.One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend.
7.If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?
8.If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?
9.If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
10.Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane.
11.In what language do people:
1.recite at a play and play a recital
2.ship by truck and send cargo by ship, and
3.have noses that run and feet that smell?
12.How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?
13.You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which:
1.your house can burn up as it burns down,
2.you fill in a form by filling it out, and
3.an alarm goes off by going on.
English was invented by people, not computers. It reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

And finally, why doesn't "buick" rhyme with "quick"?

KACAK5 Management

Preacher's Wish from God

2009-07-31T21:20:00.000+08:00

A preacher went into his church and he was praying to God.
While he was praying, he asked God, "How long is 10 million years to you?"
God replied, "One second."
The next day the preacher asked God, "God, how much is 10 million dollars to you?"
And God replied, "A penny."
Then finally the next day the preacher asked God, "God, can I have one of your pennies?"
And God replied, "Just wait a sec."

KACAK5 Management

Amazing Mathematics

2009-07-31T09:48:00.000+08:00

Absolutely amazing! Beauty of Mathematics !!!!!!!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?
And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...
101%

>From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.

How about ACHIEVING 101%? What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
answer these questions:

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

If:

H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K
8+1+18+4+23+ 15+18+11 = 98%

And:

K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E
11+14+15+23+ 12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E
1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:

While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will
get you there, It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!
Have a nice day & God bless!!

KACAK5 Management

Marriage Life Before and After !!

2009-07-28T10:52:00.000+08:00

Before marriage.
-Darling here..
darling there...
After marriage.
-Baling here... baling there..

Before marriage.
-I die for you. .
After marriage.
-"You die, up to you. "
Lagi lama married.
-You die I help you!

Before marriage.
-You go anywhere, I follow you.
After marriage.
-You go anywhere, up to you
Lagi lama married.
-You go anywhere better get lost!!

Before wedding
-"you are my heart, you are my love"
After wedding
-"you get on my nerves. "

Before wedding
-"you are sweet and kind just like Cinderella"
After wedding
-"you are worse than godzila"

Before wedding
-Roses are red, violets are blue. Like it or not, I'm stuck with you
After wedding
-Roses are dead, I am blue. You get on my head, I will sue you
Before wedding
-Every makan he brings you to Shangri-La
After wedding
-You want to go, he says you wait-la
Before wedding
-She looks like Anita Sarawak
After wedding
-Don't know whether katak or biawak

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

KACAK5 Management

See what a Handphone can do

2009-07-28T10:45:00.000+08:00

Program Management words of wisdom:-
"A Program is one small step for the Sales Manager, one giant leap for the Program Manager."

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1 Egg
2 Mobiles
65 minutes of connection between mobiles.
We assembled something as per image:

Initiated the call between the two mobiles and allowed 65 minutes approximately…
During the first 15 minutes nothing happened;
25 minutes later the egg started getting hot;
45 minutes later the egg is hot;
65 minutes later the egg is cooked.

Conclusion: The immediate radiation of the mobiles has the potential to modify the proteins of the egg. Imagine what it can do with the proteins of your brains when you do long calls.

Let it be a lesson for the Mobilemaniacs

KACAK5 Management

Jokes to de-stress

2009-07-28T10:35:00.001+08:00

Program Management words of wisdom:-
"Good Program management is not so much knowing what to do and when, as knowing what excuses to give"

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Wife: "Sir, I would like to call on my husband who left me and brought all our five kids with him."
Radio Host: " Ok, go ahead!"
Wife: "Sweetheart, please return back all the kids, actually only one of them is yours."

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Hello! I'm here again.
My mind is all muddlled up.
I just want to ask something.
I know that you will be able to help me out.
Is BIRDS FLU the past tense of BIRDS FLY?

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You were riding a bus, when you suddenly fart. Luckily the music is very loud. Every time you farted, you timed it with the music. When you were going down the bus, everybody were throwing dagger looks at you, and you suddenly realized . . . . . that you have your MP3 player on your ears !

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WIFE: It's a miracle! You came home early.
HUSBAND: I just obeyed what my boss told me to do. He said: "GO TO HELL", that's why I came home early.

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John: it's my wife's birthday
Peter: what's your gift to her?
John: i asked her what she wanted
Peter: what did she said?
J: anything, as long as there is a DIAMOND.
P: what did you give her?
J: playing cards

KACAK5 Management